Ali Mazrui Professor of African Studies @umich. #MacFellow. New book: A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda. Available at tinyurl.com/mtdy6yv2
Joined September 2019
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24 Jun 2025
My new book--A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda--publishes today! Based on newly-available government archives, the book shows why and how Amin's regime commanded popular support.
It can be bought on paper or as an e-book here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780…
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Today is Uganda Martyrs Day, honoring the first Black people sainted by the church in modern times.
Here's a film made by @dntshimba & I in 2024. We made it as part of a special exhibition marking the 60th anniversary of the Martyrs' canonization.
youtube.com/watch?v=lGNla7jX…
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Just published in Research in African Literatures:
"Micere Mugo and the Burdens of History: Notes Toward a Literary Biography", by yours truly.
The essay is about the family history of the late Micere, seen in relation to her writing. Read it here:
muse.jhu.edu/pub/3/article/9…
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Here’s a remarkable photo: Kabaka Daudi Cwa, wearing a tan suit, greets Bishop Willis. Date is late 1920s. I’ve not seen images of him wearing anything other than his robes.
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Glad to see this in the @michigandaily. It concerns the recent controversy over my graduation speech @UMich.
michigandaily.com/statement/…
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Yesterday @DemocracyNow ran a segment about the suppression of pro-Palestinian speech at graduation ceremonies in American universities. @UMich was among the situations discussed. Here's the report:
democracynow.org/2026/5/21/p…
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Derek R Peterson retweeted
This evening, 21st May 2026, I return to my alma mater, @Cambridge_Uni, for the 2026 Audrey Richards Annual Lecture at 5:00 pm in the Winstanley Lecture Theatre, Trinity College. The distinguished historian John Lonsdale will speak on “Self-Mastery: Jomo Kenyatta and State-Free African Political Thought.”
The lecture opens two days of intellectual engagement at the Centre of African Studies, bringing together some of the most distinguished Africanists of our generation. Tomorrow 22nd May, 2026, I'm honoured to give a keynote lecture on "Land, Blood & Belonging : Rethinking the Moral Foundations of Statecraft in Kenya." Among those participating are eminent scholars whose work has profoundly shaped our understanding of Africa and its place in the world, including John Lonsdale himself, Frederick Cooper, Richard Waller, Derek Peterson, David Anderson, Adriaan van Klinken, Carola Lentz, Justin Willis, Joel Cabrita, Emma Hunter, Shane Doyle, Megan Vaughan, Parker Shipton, Inge Brinkman, Frederick Cooper, and a distinguished community of historians, anthropologists, political scientists, literary scholars, and public intellectuals from Africa, Europe, and North America. The conference reminds us that history is not merely an archive of bygone events; it is a compass for navigating the possibilities of the future.
Those unable to attend in person may follow the proceedings online here:
youtube.com/live/dqObPCHzJF0…
#AudreyRichardsLecture #JohnLonsdale #AfricanStudies #UniversityOfCambridge #AfricasPastsAfricasFuture
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Found today in the archives of the Wellcome Library:
Wedding photo of one of Uganda’s most fascinating women: Lady Irene Namaganda, 1914. Daughter of a clergyman, she married Kabaka Daudi Cwa, becoming the first nnabagereka of c20th Buganda.
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My colleague Nakanyike Musisi is writing Lady Irene’s biography, publishing soon. Have a look:
barnesandnoble.com/w/a-queen…
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Derek R Peterson retweeted
May 20
"Academic Council of Jewish Voice for Peace is grateful for & inspired by Prof. Peterson’s careful & compassionate words, & concomitantly, condemns President Grasso’s stubborn defense of the injustice & inhumanity of Israel’s war–Israel’s ongoing genocide–against Palestinians"
Here is a lovely statement from the Academic Council of the Jewish Voice for Peace. It concerns the controversy over my recent remarks to the graduating class @UMich.
Many thanks to @jvplive for this insightful text.
jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2026…
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Here is a lovely statement from the Academic Council of the Jewish Voice for Peace. It concerns the controversy over my recent remarks to the graduating class @UMich.
Many thanks to @jvplive for this insightful text.
jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2026…
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From Shamai Leibowitz:
For the @UMich administration, "honoring a suffragette is commendable, celebrating a Jewish pioneer is admirable and praising Black students’ struggle is noble. But dare to suggest that Palestinians, too, possess human rights
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worth defending — that, in this administration's view, is heresy. To highlight the coalition of students--Jewish, Christian, Muslim and people of conscience--who protested the slaughter in Gaza and the resultant man-made humanitarian catastrophe--is apparently unspeakable."
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I am glad to see this supportive statement of LSA student government here @UMich.
Thank you to those who've put it together.
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Thank you very much to colleagues & friends who've signed this open letter concerning the controversy over my graduation remarks @UMich. I appreciate the support they have given me here.
And thank you to @JonathonLEarle & others who put the letter together. I am much obliged.
May 10
189 scholars, writers, and journalists from around the world, in partnership with @UgandaStudies, call on @UMichPresGrasso & @UMich's administration to extend unwavering support to @Unseen_Archive following last week's commencement. Professor Peterson’s speech emphasized the ideals of justice and human compassion that are cornerstones of all humanistic scholarship. The attacks on the speech, particularly from those in administrative and political leadership, directly undermine the principles of our profession and universities in a divided, violent world. We denounce the inflammatory, violent, and vile comments and threats that have been directed against Peterson. @chronicle @zeteo_news @prem_thakker @CBSDetroit @insidehighered @Jerusalem_Post @CBS @CNN @AP @politico @nytimes
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I much appreciate this essay, which is among the most insightful I've read about my graduation remarks here @UMich.
forward.com/opinion/824062/u…
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Below: a statement laying out the context for my 2 May speech before the graduating students @UMich. In summary: I didn't mislead anyone about what I planned to say; neither did I replace one script with another.
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facultysenate.umich.edu/stat…
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Here at Michigan we prize academic freedom as the foundation of our work. Faculty & students have to be free to engage controversial & difficult questions.
That is why Michigan is the defining public university, & not a posh finishing school for polite young people.
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The @AAUP & the AFT have just issued a strong & helpful statement defending academic freedom and condemning the ridiculous campaign of intimidation that has been launched against me.
I am most grateful for this. Here is the statement:
aaup.org/news/aaup-aft-labor…
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After much prevarication @UMich has now made the video of the 2026 commencement available. My talk can be seen below.
Congratulations to all of those who graduated last weekend. Go out there and make good trouble.
youtu.be/ciDNaDCnW-k?t=4881
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Yesterday I had the pleasure of addressing the graduates @UMich commencement. I spoke about the long history of student activism, which has moved the University toward justice.
Here is a video. It has caused a furore on social media & in UM admin.
youtube.com/watch?v=iu0xsQtk…
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