African Voices Challenge the ‘Single Story’

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 13:20 PM EDT, 15 January 2012

The Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie speaks about the traditions of a single story framed by prejudice, stereotypes, and misinformation. The author of “Half of a Yellow Sun” (2006), she has several other notable books, short stories, plays and poem anthologies under her belt.

Raised in a middle class home with domestic help, Chimamanda related how as a child she viewed the help as being "poor" and equated that with a plethora of negative assumptions. It was only after she came to American and was subjected to "flat" perceptions of Africa and Africans, that she was able to recognize the ubiquity of preconceived notions.

Chimamanda eloquently addresses the hard topics of racism and classism through the nuanced language and concept of the “single story.” At every juncture she rebukes herself before taking the public to task, yet manages to keep the audience engaged as she chastens them.  Her words and thoughts on this issue are far more powerful than any opinion written about her, thus, I encourage you to listen to the author speak in the video below.

To learn more about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie check out the bibliography and links below.   Watch her speak on Ted TV here.

• The Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Unofficial Website
• The New Face of Nigerian Literature? (BBC News)
• Wikipedia Reference

Novels

• Purple Hibiscus (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2003)
• Half of a Yellow Sun (London: Fourth Estate, 2006)
• The Thing around Your Neck(London: Fourth Estate, 2009)

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• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to speak on Connecting Cultures at 2012 Commonwealth Lecture (caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com)
• Half of a Yellow Sun (rheumadroid.wordpress.com)
• Bestselling Books of 2011 (literarychronicles.wordpress.com)
• Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton and Dominic Cooper to Star in 'Half of a Yellow Sun' (hollywood.com)
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: religious leaders must help end Nigeria violence (guardian.co.uk)