By Black Classic Press
Runoko Rashidi is an anthropologist and historian with a major focus on what he calls the Global African Presence–that is, Africans outside of Africa before and after enslavement. He is the author or editor of twenty-two books, the most recent of which are My Global Journeys in Search of the African Presence, Assata-Garvey and Me: A Global African Journey for Children in 2017 and The Black Image in Antiquity in 2019. His other works include Black Star: The African Presence in Early Europe, published by Books of Africa in London in November 2011 and African Star over Asia: The Black Presence in the East, published by Books of Africa in London in November 2012 and revised and reprinted in April 2013, Uncovering the African Past: The Ivan Van Sertima Papers, published by Books of Africa in 2015. His other works include the African Presence in Early Asia, co-edited by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. Four of Runoko’s works have been published in French.
As a traveler and researcher Dr. Rashidi has visited 124 countries. As a lecturer and presenter, he has spoken in sixty-seven countries.
Runoko has worked with and under some of the most distinguished scholars of the past half-century, including Ivan Van Sertima, John Henrik Clarke, Asa G. Hilliard, Edward Scobie, John G. Jackson, Jan Carew and Yosef ben-Jochannan.
In October 1987 Rashidi inaugurated the First All-India Dalit Writer’s Conference in Hyderabad, India.
In 1999 he was the major keynote speaker at the International Reunion of the African Family in Latin America in Barlovento, Venezuela.In 2005 Rashidi was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree, his first, by the Amen-Ra Theological Seminary in Los Angeles.
In August 2010 he was first keynote speaker at the First Global Black Nationalities Conference in Osogbo, Nigeria.
In December 2010 he was President and first speaker at the Diaspora Forum at the FESMAN Conference in Dakar, Senegal.
In 2018 he was named Traveling Ambassador to the Universal Negro Improvement Association & African Communities League RC 2020.
In 2020 he was named to the Curatorial and Academic boards of the Pan-African Heritage Museum.
He is currently doing major research on the African presence in the museums of the world.
As a tour leader he has taken groups to India, Australia, Fiji, Turkey, Jordan, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Togo, Benin, France, Belgium, England, Cote d’Ivoire, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Peru, Cuba, Luxembourg, Germany, Cameroon, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.
Runoko Rashidi’s major mission in life is the uplift of African people, those at home and those abroad.
For more information write to Runoko@hotmail.com or call (323) 803-8663.
His web site is www.drrunoko.com
ABOUT Black Classic Press
Our Mission
Founded in 1978, Black Classic Press is devoted to publishing obscure and significant works by and about people of African descent. We specialize in republishing works that are out of print and quite often out of memory. We began publishing because we wanted to extend the memory of what we believe are important books that have helped in meaningful ways to shape the Black diasporic experience and our understanding of the world.
Our History
In 1978, when we started publishing, three elders were inspirations and gave their support – John G. Jackson, John Henrik Clarke and Yosef ben-Jochannan. We are informed by the examples of these three giants. Each of these elders contributed in their own special way to our publishing efforts.
Did you know that in addition to being a book publishing company we also own and operate a printing business?That’s right. We print our own books as well as books for other publishers and self-publishers. And books are not the only products we print; we can also provide you with brochures, booklets, programs, bookmarks, postcards, catalogs, greeting cards, and more.
Please visit our website, agooddaytoprint.com and see what we can do for you!
