Magazine, further reading & press
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Here you will find blog posts written by us, other recommended reading and what the press writes about us.
Blog posts & news
Homosexuality on the African continent has become a taboo topic in many modern contexts, with several African leaders, such as Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, claiming that LGBTQIA+ identities are a Western import and go against "African culture.
These lines reflect identities lost, formed, and sometimes rediscovered. In Africa, they tell tales of geography intertwined with a complex history, one fragmented by foreign hands.
During the colonial era, enslaved Africans found profound solace in spirituals such as "Wade in the Water" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot". These songs were not merely melodies but lifelines-expressions of hope, determination, and the pursuit of joy amidst unspeakable adversity
Black joy was not just a fleeting moment of happiness but a radical act of survival. It flourished in the harshest circumstances, a testament to the indomitable spirit of Black communities. Through music, dance, storytelling, and communal gatherings, Black individuals found ways to connect, heal, and resist.
In German schools and kindergartens, children play a game called "Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann?" (Who's Afraid of the Black Man?). (Who's Afraid of the Black Man?). The phrase is ambiguous but loaded with meaning:
Tipis were used by some indigenous groups as part of their way of living, but it's crucial to understand that Indigenous cultures are incredibly rich and diverse. They have histories that span thousands of years, with many unique ways of living-and the tipi is just one small piece of that story.
Book recommendations in English
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South
Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers
A groundbreaking book about the often overlooked role of white women in the American slave system. Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers shows how they actively participated in the slave market, profited economically and used brutal management strategies - a new look at power and responsibility in the history of slavery.
Afrotopia
Felwin Sarr
A powerful meditation and poetic call for an African utopia of self-reinvention in the 21st century. After colonialism, civil wars and the AIDS crisis, a new day seems to be dawning for the African continent.
The Wretched of the Earth
Frantz Fanon
A classic about the psychological and social consequences of colonialism
How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
Walter Rodney
A critical analysis of the economic exploitation of Africa through colonialism
Collective Amnesia
Koleka Putuma
A collection of political poems about decolonization and identity
The Kaiser's Holocaust:
Prof. David Olusoga
On 12 May 1883, the German flag was raised on the coast of South-West Africa, modern Namibia - the beginnings of Germany's African Empire.
Book recommendations in German
Gap and love
Josephine Apraku
A clever book about the invisibility of social inequality in romantic relationships. Josephine Apraku shows how discrimination also shapes intimate relationships - and how we can love more consciously.
Amon. My grandfather would have shot me.
Jennifer Teege
An impressive memoir about cultural trauma and personal identity. At the age of 38, Jennifer Teege discovers by chance that her grandfather was the notorious Nazi criminal Amon Göth - a realization that shatters her life and confronts her with profound questions about origin, guilt and identity.
Black studies
Ina Wudtke
The book is a multidirectional reminder of past and present anti-racist struggles in Germany. It documents Wudtke's audio installation Black Lives Audio Triptych and brings to life archive material - especially photos, songs and texts - about Fasia Jansen and Hilarius Gilges.
Being German and Black at the same time: Memoirs of an Afro-German
Theodor Michael
This book shows the often forgotten history of colonial migrants in Germany and their discrimination over the course of time - from initial acceptance to systematic exclusion. An important read to better understand the effects of colonialism and racism in Germany.
Black feminism
Natasha A. Kelly
Translated texts by Angela Davis, Audre Lorde, Kimberlé Crenshaw and others that shed light on intersectional feminism
Your home is our nightmare
Fatma Aydemir and Hengameh Yaghoobifarah
Essays on racism and anti-Semitism in Germany
Recommended documentaries
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
Johan Grimonprez
A documentary that shows the struggles of the Congo, exposes the role of the USA and Belgium and at the same time shows the colonial structures that still exist today.
Colonial roots of the genocide in Rwanda
DW Documentary
In April 1994, the parents of two-year-old Samuel Ishimwe were murdered in Rwanda. Their fate was shared by up to a million people in the genocide against the country's Tutsi minority. Thirty years on, Samuel sets out to discover what set these terrible events in motion.
Harriet - The path to freedom
Kasi Lemmons
Based on the moving and inspiring life of one of America's greatest heroines, HARRIET tells the extraordinary story of Harriet Tubman, the famed freedom fighter who defied all odds to change the course of her life and the fate of the nation.
Stamped from the beginning
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
In his book, Dr. Ibrahim X. Kendi explains how "whiteness" was invented and why. This documentary visualizes his book and explains European history of the last 500 years.
The death and life of Marsha P. Johnson
David France
Pride Month and Christopher Street Day have become a global holiday. Find out how it all began with trans women of color, like Marsha P. Johnson.
African Queens: Njinga
Ethosheia Hylton, Adesuwa Oni
Find out more about the courageous and legendary female fighters against the European invasion of what is now Congo and Angola, such as Queen Nzinga.
Audio guide tours in Berlin
Coming soon...
deSta in the press
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THE GUARDIAN
'Hidden in plain sight': the European city tours of slavery and colonialism
Ashifa Kassam
B.Z.
Berlin native Justice Mvemba wants to raise awareness as Miss Germany
Sabine Klier