Joan Anim-Addo facts for kids

Joan Anim-Addo is a talented writer, poet, and publisher who was born in Grenada, a beautiful island in the Caribbean. She is a respected professor of Caribbean literature and culture at Goldsmiths, University of London. There, she helped create a special master's degree program called Black British Literature. This was the first program of its kind in the world!

Her Journey in Education

Joan Anim-Addo was born in Grenada. She moved to London, England, in 1961 when she was a schoolgirl.

In 1994, she joined Goldsmiths, University of London. She started and directed the Centre for Caribbean and Diaspora Studies there. This center helps people learn about Caribbean culture and people who live outside the Caribbean.

She has taught at many universities around the world. These include Vassar College and SUNY Geneseo in the USA. She also taught at the University of Turku in Finland and the University of Trento in Italy. Joan Anim-Addo has also led workshops to help people with creative writing.

At Goldsmiths, she teaches classes about Caribbean women's writing and Black British literature. She also helped create the world's first master's degree in Black British Literature. This program started in 2015. Many people, like writer Alex Wheatle, believe it is a very important addition to British literature.

Writing and Publishing Books

In 1995, Joan Anim-Addo started her own publishing company called Mango Publishing. This company focuses on sharing stories and voices from the Caribbean. It especially highlights books written by women. Mango Publishing has featured books by famous writers like Beryl Gilroy and Jacob Ross.

In 2008, Joan Anim-Addo wrote the words for an opera called Imoinda. This opera was a new version of an old story called Oroonoko, first published in 1688.

She has also written her own poetry books. These include Haunted by History (2004) and Janie: Cricketing Lady (2006). She also wrote a book about literary history called Touching the Body: History, Language and African-Caribbean Women's Writing (2007).

Joan Anim-Addo helped edit other books too. She also started a journal called New Mango Season. This journal shares writing by Caribbean women.

In December 2016, Joan Anim-Addo received a special Lifetime Achievement Award. This award was for her amazing contributions to literature and cultural studies. Her work is also featured in the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This important collection was put together by Margaret Busby.

In 2020, Joan Anim-Addo was part of a photo exhibition called Phenomenal Women. This exhibition honored black female professors in Britain.

In 2021, Joan Anim-Addo worked with Deirdre Osborne and Kadija Sesay on a book called This is The Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelf in 50 Books. This book helps readers find amazing books by authors of African or Asian descent and indigenous peoples. Writer Nikesh Shukla called it "a vital and timely introduction to some of the best books I've ever read."