Africa World Press (AWP) is a publishing company founded in 1983 by Kassahun Checole in Trenton, New Jersey, United States, with a mission to publish books on the history, culture and politics of Africa and the African diaspora. Two years later, The Red Sea Press was added as an imprint of AWP, with a primary focus on the Horn of Africa,[1] and taking on the role of distributor for books on and about Africa and people of African descent in the continent as well as the diaspora.[2]
The president and publisher of Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press is Kassahun Checole, who grew up in Eritrea.[3] He attended Haile Selassie University, and in 1971 went to further his education at the State University of New York at Binghamton (SUNY Binghampton), where he developed his interest in Pan African movements; after earning an undergraduate degree in political science and African-American studies and his master's in sociology, he took up a position as a professor of sociology and African studies at Rutgers University.[3] He also taught courses at other higher education institutions, including El Colegio de Mexico and the University of Johannesburg,[4][5] and realised early in his teaching career that there was a dearth of relevant books dealing with African and African-American issues, and that whatever material was produced was not reaching its market.
Aiming to address this deficiency, in 1983 Checocle began producing books from his home, an early title being Ngugi Wa Thiongo's The Barrel of a Pen.[6] Other notable titles from the 1980s include Under a Soprano Sky by Sonia Sanchez and Afrocentricity by Molefi Asante.[3] In 1985, Checole founded the Red Sea Press, as a sister imprint of AWP with a primary focus on the Horn of Africa, and Red Sea Press handled distribution of the titles he published, as well as books from other Black publishers.[6][1] Checole has said: "There was no one doing what I was at the time. Traditional black publishers like Third World Press in Boston were very focused. My goal was more ambitious and perhaps foolish. I wanted to reach the widest spectrum of people I could."[3]
Publishing a wide variety of titles on the history, culture and politics of Africa and the African diaspora, including some fiction, AWP/Red Sea Press now produces about 100 titles annually, with a focus on academic and library markets as well as international sales.[7]
^ abcDebessay, Araya (24 December 2011). "An Event to Honor a Truly Deserving Eritrean – Mr. Kassahun Checole, Publisher – Red Sea Press/Africa World Press". asmarino.com. Asmarino Independent Media (AIM). Retrieved 4 August 2023.
^"2 Publications from The Red Sea Press an Imprint of Africa World Press & The Red Sea Press". AALBC.com. African American Literature Book Club.
^ abcdLasseter, Diana (25 September 1994). "A Boy's Dream of Great Things Leads to a Publishing House". The New York Times.
^"Kassahun Checole". PEN America. 5 February 2016.
^ abTurner, Walter (18 September 2019). "Horn of Africa: Interview with Kassahun Checole". AfricaFocus Bulletin.
^Pride, Felicia (24 August 2009). "Africa World Press Survives a Tough Economy". Publishers Weekly.
External linksedit
Official website
"Kassahun Checole Publisher Africa World Press/Red Sea Press", AALBC.com, via YouTube, 13 June 2008.
"Indie Publisher Kassahun Checole on the Importance & Vitality of African American Publishing", Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), 21 February 2019.
Africa World Press at Turnaround Publisher Services.
January 01, 1970
africa, world, press, publishing, company, founded, 1983, kassahun, checole, trenton, jersey, united, states, with, mission, publish, books, history, culture, politics, africa, african, diaspora, years, later, press, added, imprint, with, primary, focus, horn,. Africa World Press AWP is a publishing company founded in 1983 by Kassahun Checole in Trenton New Jersey United States with a mission to publish books on the history culture and politics of Africa and the African diaspora Two years later The Red Sea Press was added as an imprint of AWP with a primary focus on the Horn of Africa 1 and taking on the role of distributor for books on and about Africa and people of African descent in the continent as well as the diaspora 2 Africa World Press The Red Sea PressParent companyAfrica World Press Inc StatusActiveFounded1983 41 years ago 1983 FounderKassahun ChecoleHeadquarters locationTrenton New Jersey U S ImprintsAfrica World PressThe Red Sea PressOfficial websiteafricaworldpressbooks wbr com Contents 1 Background and output 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBackground and output editThe president and publisher of Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press is Kassahun Checole who grew up in Eritrea 3 He attended Haile Selassie University and in 1971 went to further his education at the State University of New York at Binghamton SUNY Binghampton where he developed his interest in Pan African movements after earning an undergraduate degree in political science and African American studies and his master s in sociology he took up a position as a professor of sociology and African studies at Rutgers University 3 He also taught courses at other higher education institutions including El Colegio de Mexico and the University of Johannesburg 4 5 and realised early in his teaching career that there was a dearth of relevant books dealing with African and African American issues and that whatever material was produced was not reaching its market Aiming to address this deficiency in 1983 Checocle began producing books from his home an early title being Ngugi Wa Thiongo s The Barrel of a Pen 6 Other notable titles from the 1980s include Under a Soprano Sky by Sonia Sanchez and Afrocentricity by Molefi Asante 3 In 1985 Checole founded the Red Sea Press as a sister imprint of AWP with a primary focus on the Horn of Africa and Red Sea Press handled distribution of the titles he published as well as books from other Black publishers 6 1 Checole has said There was no one doing what I was at the time Traditional black publishers like Third World Press in Boston were very focused My goal was more ambitious and perhaps foolish I wanted to reach the widest spectrum of people I could 3 Among notable authors published by Checole are Bereket Habte Selassie Basil Davidson and many others 1 Publishing a wide variety of titles on the history culture and politics of Africa and the African diaspora including some fiction AWP Red Sea Press now produces about 100 titles annually with a focus on academic and library markets as well as international sales 7 See also editBlack Classic PressReferences edit a b c Debessay Araya 24 December 2011 An Event to Honor a Truly Deserving Eritrean Mr Kassahun Checole Publisher Red Sea Press Africa World Press asmarino com Asmarino Independent Media AIM Retrieved 4 August 2023 2 Publications from The Red Sea Press an Imprint of Africa World Press amp The Red Sea Press AALBC com African American Literature Book Club a b c d Lasseter Diana 25 September 1994 A Boy s Dream of Great Things Leads to a Publishing House The New York Times Kassahun Checole PEN America 5 February 2016 Trenton s World Press 26 November 2018 a b Turner Walter 18 September 2019 Horn of Africa Interview with Kassahun Checole AfricaFocus Bulletin Pride Felicia 24 August 2009 Africa World Press Survives a Tough Economy Publishers Weekly External links editOfficial website Kassahun Checole Publisher Africa World Press Red Sea Press AALBC com via YouTube 13 June 2008 Indie Publisher Kassahun Checole on the Importance amp Vitality of African American Publishing Independent Book Publishers Association IBPA 21 February 2019 Africa World Press at Turnaround Publisher Services Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Africa World Press amp oldid 1190000825, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
