Dr. Akil Khalfani, the treasures of Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, and the US Congress
The Africana Institute of Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America (USA) houses some priceless artifacts, treasures that are better seen physically than read about or viewed virtually.
The mind-blowing collection of artworks, mostly from different African countries, are carefully curated and beautifully displayed in the warm and welcoming halls and Conference Room of the Institute that has had Dr. Akil Kokayi Khalfani, a Professor of Sociology, as Director for 15 years.
Some of the spectacular works were donated to the Institute by African leaders, like the Asantehene, a traditional ruler from Ghana, by art connoisseurs like Robert Taylor and Paul Rosenberg, and by institutions like the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Some others were purchased by the Institute while some are the creations of Dr. Khalfani, an art aficionado, who is also a socio-cultural and political activist of international renown.
Dr. Khalfani is presently an aspirant to the US Congress seat for the 10th District of New Jersey and is running to secure the ticket of the Democratic Party on June 7, win the Congressional poll and go to Washington to bring to the US Congress the intellectual vibrancy, international socio-cultural energy, innovation and creativity as well as pro-people focus that he has demonstrated at Essex County College and in the 10th District of New Jersey as a whole.
A well-publicized Virtual Tour of the Africana Institute of Essex County College in February 2022 first opened the window into the treasure trove that Dr. Khalfani has put together in the College, but a physical (onsite) viewing of the artifacts reveals the incredible dimensions of the creativity and artistry of the ancient African continent and the lessons they hold for today’s world.
For instance, in the Institute is to be found, well preserved for posterity, a beautiful Ghanaian Kente cloth and a stool donated by the Asantahene, the Ghanaian traditional ruler who visited the Institute; a Nigerian mother and child sculpture; an intricately sculpted Cote d’Ivoirian head rest; a framed Map of Africa in cloth (fabric) from the 1980s; a Guinea drum; Ibeji (twins), bronze head (Oduduwa) and Ogun (iron) sculptures from Nigeria; ancient Egyptian writing, Rosetta stone; gold weights from Ghana; a Kenyan mask; a Baboon mask; Vikings-like Isar helmet from Ghana; a Chief’s Staff (symbol of authority); beautiful Baskets from Burkina Faso; an Edo (Nigeria) female carving of fertility and procreation; Asanti (Ghana) fertility dolls; Egyptian Ramses Sphinx (Pillar); a highly decorated scoop and other fascinating artifacts from Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho and other parts of South, Central, East and West Africa.
Dr. Khalfani has, as part of his work at the Africana Institute of Essex County College, visited these African countries, taking students, faculty and community members on fruitful and fulfilling study tours, building bridges of knowledge exchange, establishing a timeline from the African past to the world’s future and attempting to establish that the world’s roots are in Africa!!
He has gone beyond Africa to collect equally fascinating artifacts from Haiti, Mexico, Cuba, Antigua, Jamaica, Brazil and other countries of the world that he has also visited in his quest for the advancement of the knowledge of the interlinkages of arts and cultures of the world.
The “Pan Africana in Nine Boxes,” exhibition is the encapsulation of the works of several years in a collection that holds histories of the cultures of nations that are sure to impact the world of today and tomorrow positively, and is seating pretty in Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, waiting for art lovers, art historians and scholars as well as all others who cherish beauty and the esoteric arts of Africa and other parts of the world to come and savor.
What is clear is that all who undertake a tour of the incredible art treasures of the College will begin to understand that Dr. Khalfani deserves a national platform from where he can revolutionize art and cultural knowledge for the good of the American society and for the world as whole.
Brief profile of Dr. Akil Khalfani (Culled)
Dr. Khalfani, a Change Agent, Motivational Speaker, Author, Actor, and Professor, is the author of The Hidden Debate: The Truth Revealed about the Battle over Affirmative Action in South Africa and the United States, which was nominated for two national awards: the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award and the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Book Award. He is currently working on the 5th edition of Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Our Social World.
Since 2011, he has been the Host and Executive Producer of The Pulse: a televised talk show that explores the diversity of the African global experience. He has given keynote addresses at the United Nations and for various corporate and government organizations such as KPMG and the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA). Additionally, he has given graduation and keynote addresses at various secondary schools and universities nationally and internationally. He sits on the Editorial Board for the Association of Black Sociologists’ journal entitled Issues in Race & Society: An Interdisciplinary Global Journal.
Dr. Khalfani has been recognized for his community service work by the United States Congress, the California State Senate, New York and New Jersey State Senate, and several counties and municipalities in New Jersey. He was a Commissioner on the West Orange Human Relations Commission. Previously, he served as Co-Chair for the Education Committee for the City of Newark’s African Commission and as a member on the Essex-Newark Coalition to End Homelessness. He previously served as President and Vice President of the Board of Trustees for a Charter school in Newark.
Dr. Khalfani earned a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, from which he also earned a Certificate in African Studies. Additionally, he studied at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He earned his Bachelor’s degree also in Sociology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. His areas of expertise are Africana Studies, race relations, social stratification, and developing solutions to social problems.
He lives in West Orange with his wife Sia and their four children.
To learn more about his campaign to represent the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey in the US Congress, please visit:
www.akilkhalfani.com
To learn more about the Africana Institute, please visit:
www.essex.edu/cgee
