Kenneth X. Robbins, a curator of the exhibition "Africans in India" and editor of the book "African Elites in India" will conduct a special tour of the exhibit at Mason Hall, George Mason University @ 11AM Thursday December 5. No reservations are required.
East African rulers, prime ministers,
generals, and admirals have distinguished themselves in India especially in Bengal, Bijapur, Ahmednagar, Gujarat, the Mughal empire, and the states of Janjira and Sachin. Success was theirs but is also a testimony to the open-mindedness of Indian society. This exhibition uses paintings, photographs, coins, stamps, and documents to tell the unique stories of how enslaved Africans attained the pinnacle of military and political authority on another continent.
This exhibition was held over at the Schomburg Center for Black Culture of the New York Public Library. It will travel to the Museum of African American History (Boston), the DuSable Museum of African American History (Chicago), and the prestigious Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (New Delhi). Plans was further venues in THe U.S., Arica, India, and elsewhere are under consideration. For more information, contact Kenneth Robbins at rajanawab@comcast.net or his co-curator Sylviane Diouf at sdiouf@nypl.org
The exhibit, which is open Monday to Friday, will be on display December 2-February 4. Directions to Mason Hall are as follows:
Take 495 towards Norther Virginia/Fairfax
Take exit 49 for Interstate 66 West toward Manassas/Front Royal
Take exit 60 to merge onto VA-123 South/Chain Bridge Road toward Fairfax
Continue on 123 South
Turn left onto University Drive
From University Drive, take the first right onto our campus
Turn right at the stop sign onto Patriot Circle
Go straight through another stop sign to stay on Patriot Circle
At the roundabout, drive 3/4 around to exit onto Mason Pond Drive
Turn left into the Mason Pond Parking Deck Visitors Entrance
You may park on the first three levels of the Mason Pond Parking deck. When you exit the parking deck, stay on the left sidewalk in front of the Center for the Arts (Mason Pond will be to the right). You will see Mason Hall ahead of you past a small courtyard. Enter Mason Hall at the ground level and the exhibition will be in the atrium in front of you.