DAC Rm. 306, Queens Campus
Guest
Speaker: Dr. Martin Atangana
West African immigration to New York City has slowly increased
since the 1990s to become an increasingly visible force of the
culture. These immigrants are frequently confronted with the
realities of African American culture, issues of racism and
socio-cultural differences that separate them from mainstream
African America. An increasing number of West African artists
and musicians immigrate to New York City, attracted by its music
industry and locus as a multicultural crossroads of the U.S.
One way that West Africans have managed to distinguish themselves
is via music, as prominent players in New York’s World Music
scene. Afrobeat, a West African genre (popularized by Paul
Simon’s Graceland), has risen to prominence as both world music and
“African.” How does this music connect to New York’s West
African immigrant community today? How does it play such a
visible role in global world music? This presentation will
answer these questions and more through the personal immigration
experience of Martin Atangana, his music, work with Paul Simon (and
other international artists) and participation in the Afrobeat
scene.
Dr. Martin Atangana (from Cameroon, West Africa) will be the
guest speaker for this unique talk and musical presentation.
He will be discussing the experiences of West African immigration,
the African immigrant community in New York City, Afrobeat music,
and his musical experiences as both a performer in New York City
and internationally. Atangana will talk both as an African
historian (who has published extensively on the history and
politics of Cameroon and the Congo) and musician, with his New
York-based band African Blue Note. He will also present
several videos of performances around New York City which will lead
to a larger discussion and comparison of these performances as both
African, World, and African American. Dr. Atangana
hopes to engage students and faculty as they encounter this music,
to pursue the larger questions of identity and culture in New York
City.
Martin Atangana holds a Ph. D. in History from the University of
Paris 1-Sorbonne, a M.A. in History from the University of Paris
X-Nanterre, and a B.A. from the University of Yaoundé. He is
currently a Professor (Chair) of History at York College and The
Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His research
interests focus on the relationship between West Africa and Europe
with a special emphasis on Franco-Cameroonian relations. He is the
author of The End of French Rule in Cameroon (2010), and many
articles. In addition to doing research and teaching, Dr. Martin
Atangana is an accomplished musician who has performed with his
band “African Blue Note” in New York City for nearly 15
years. He has worked with many artists such as Paul Simon,
Jean Luc Ponty, Many Dibango , and Hassan Hakmoun. His solo
albums include "Oyenga Fam" and "Mot Songo".
Date: Tuesday, September 25th,
2012
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: DAC Rm. 306, Queens
Campus
RSVP: Required. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!!
More Information
Amelia Ingram
ingrama@stjohns.edu