CONTINUING THE WORK OF CHEIKH ANTA DIOP THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

"The History of Black Africa will remain suspended in air and cannot be written correctly until African historians dare to connect it with the History of Egypt. In Particular, the study of languages, institutions, and so forth, cannot be treated properly; in a word, it will be impossible to build African humanities, a body of African human sciences, so long as that relationship does not appear legitimate. The African historian who evades the problem of Egypt is neither modest nor objective, nor unruffled; he is ignorant, cowardly, and neurotic. Imagine, if you can, the uncomfortable position of a western historian who was to write the history of Europe without referring to Greco-Latin Antiquity and try to pass that off as a scientific approach" (xiv).

~ Cheikh Anta Diop, The African Origins of Civilization: Myth or Reality, 1974

This weekend, Memories of the Little Elephant was featured at the 20th Annual Cheikh Anta Diop Conference, The largest assembly of African scholars gathers each year at the Cheikh Anta Diop International Conference in Philadelphia for the latest research and presentations on African agency. The most prestigious awards in the field are given for the best articles, books, and initiatives in Afrocentric research. The Cheikh Anta Diop International Conference is recognized for its outstanding scholarship in all theoretical, methodological, analytical and critical subjects. (www.diopconference.com) Memories of the Little Elephant had a very successful weekend as it moved into the hands of scholars, school leaders, educators, and community activist whom are dedicated to the upliftment of African peoples. As Dr. Maulana Karenga, guest lecturer, spoke he discussed the urgent need for African people to not only research, lecture and educate but to also produce "paradigm driven works." Capturing the history, language, spirituality and thought of African peoples, Memories of the Little Elephant was present as wonderful example of such a work! Author Nehprii Amenii, visibly pleased by the embrace of the work, expressed "It is so much more than a children's picture book. It supplies our children, our people, and our world, with a consciousness of the African origins of all of civilization and is displayed through imagery based on the same aesthetic values that were used to fashion temple walls and all of creation, and thus provides the African world with an authentic mirror of self."

With recent collaboration with books for Africa, this weekend’s customers purchased books to be donated to their African nation of choice. We are proud to share that customers enthusiastically purchased copies of Memories of the little elephant to be shipped to Ethiopia, Liberia, South Africa, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone! Memories of the Little Elephant is truly a book on its way to having global impact!

~KP

Self-Published Author Takes Cross-Promotional Route, Increases Visibility, Sales

October 06, 2008 02:46PM EDT [general.addtranslation] Download Article (PDF)

Teacher writes, illustrates, publishes, and then markets her own book--with success.

In a book world where everything from publishing to reviews to sales venues are almost wholly owned by just a handful of multinational corporations that make it very difficult for those outside of this system to thrive, one Brooklyn self-published author has found a way to prove otherwise.

Brooklyn, NY (New York Independent Media Center) On Friday, Nehprii Amenii (www.NehpriiAmenii.com), the founder of Khunum Productions, unveiled her independent publishing company's new tactic in its marketing strategy. Khunum Productions, located in New York City, released its inaugural book this year entitled "Memories of the Little Elephant."

With the steady shrinking of the book publishing market and the inherent challenges that small, independent publishers take on within this market, Khunum Productions made the decision to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack. Its efforts are believed to be the result of greater visibility and increased sales of "Memories of the Little Elephant."

"On the one hand, we have a rather unique children-of-all-ages heritage book designed to uplift the collective self-esteem, self-concept, and self-image of the African community while promoting literary enthusiasm and cultural identity. On the other hand, we have as our founder an interesting Brooklyn-based public school teacher named Nehprii Amenii who wrote and illustrated the book over the course of several years during her accumulated hours of enduring public transportation to and from work and school," said L. Brandon Moore, the Director of Public Relations for Khunum Productions, "So, it just makes sense to us that this extraordinary story within a story be told and marketed in an extraordinary manner."

To this end, Khunum Productions chose the City of Cap-Haitien in Republic of Haiti as the site for the official international release of "Memories of the Little Elephant" in February, a full five months before it was unveiled before a standing room only crowd here in the U.S. on Independence Day at The Village @ Gureje in Brooklyn.

Khunum Productions, a member of the Small Publishers Association of North America and the Mid-Atlantic Book Publishers Association, is currently in negotiations with a few different entities, Books for Africa (www.booksforafrica.org), a non-profit organization headquartered in Saint Paul, Minneapolis; Asante Filmworx (www.asantefilmworx.com), a film production company in Baltimore, Maryland; and Embora Wellness and Movement (www.embora.com), a community-based total fitness and healing center in Brooklyn, New York.

They have already completed talks with The Village @ Gureje (www.gureje.com), a high-end fashion designing outlet; Joloff's, a Senegalese restaurant (www.joloffrestaurant.com); and Healthy Nibbles Organic Snacks and Juice Bar Lounge, all of which are African-owned establishments located in Brooklyn.

"Our goal is not just to increase the visibility for, and the income from, our own product," said Nehprii Amenii, "we are even more so interested in offering our product with value added to it. So, we are partnering with companies that provide certain information, products and services that we feel are beneficial to our customers on multiple levels beyond the pages of the book."

Once all of these deals are completed, purchasing a copy of "Memories of the Little Elephant" will also expose a book lover to various opportunities, such as, donating a book to a library in Africa, getting discounts on uniquely tailored original fashions, and receiving a copy of the new documentary on Kwanzaa entitled "The Black Candle."

Additionally, Khunum Productions has gone one step future with its cross-promotional campaign by partnering with both Google Book Search (www.books.google.com) and the International Children's Digital Library (www.childrenslibrary.org) to make available previews of "Memories of the Little Elephant" free on the internet for potential customers worldwide beginning this month. The International Children's Library has agreed to translate the into a variety of languages.

King Tut-Ankh-Amen: CHEIKH ANTA DIOP

CHEIKH ANTA DIOP

"Memories of the Little Elephant" supports Books for Africa!!!

New York, NY-On September 25, 08 Khunum Productions initiated a partnership with Books for Africa! Books for Africa (BFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as the largest shipper of donated textbooks to the African continent. Books for Africa has shipped over 20 million primary, secondary, post-secondary, and community library books to 44 countries since 1988. Customers who purchase "Memories of the Little Elephant" by Nehprii Amenii, will have the choice of having $1 from each purchase donated to Books for Africa, or will be able to purchase a 2nd book at 50% discount that will be donated directly to BFA and mailed to the libraries and classrooms of Africa!

BFA developer Carole Patrikakos says, " Memories of the Little Elephant is an ideal book for putting into the hands of an African child. The copies received from Khunum Productions will make our shipments all the more affirming and encouraging to children who are hungry to learn."

To purchase your copies of "Memories of the Little Elephant" and contribute to the important effort of Books for Africa, please visit www.nehpriiamenii.com or go to BooksForAfrica.org
~KP