Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora

From Brittle Paper:

Sylvia Arthur is the 2023 Brittle Paper African Literary Person of the Year for her outstanding work as the founder of the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (@loatad_org) in Accra, Ghana. She is the 9th honoree of the award. @NnediOkorafor was the first to receive the award in 2015 and since then it has gone to many outstanding writers and literary industry leaders including Ellah Wakatama, Kwame Dawes, Lola Shoneyin, and others.

Arthur was born in London to Ghanaian parents and did not visit Ghana until she was in her early 20s. In the course of finishing university, receiving a degree in philosophy, a postgraduate diploma in Journalism, and a Master’s in narrative nonfiction writing, she got the idea to establish a library in one of Africa’s most beloved cities.

The Library contains 4000+ books and features exhibitions, film showings, live music and poetry readings. They also feature writing residencies.

Arthur fosters one of the most vibrant and global meeting spaces for Black people, and her selection as the literary person of the year is a celebration of the impact of her work and her vision in creating institutional spaces with significant infrastructural impact on the disseminating of African literature and culture.

Read the full feature here

Congratulations to all the winners!

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR goes to South African digital content creator Nokukhanya Ntsaluba (Instagram: @pretty_x_bookish) promoting African literature on social media.

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR goes to Samantha Rumbidzai Vazhure for making space for Shona language literature with her indie press Carnelian Heart Publishing Ltd.

LITERARY PLATFORM OF THE YEAR goes to Akada Children’s Book Festival (@akadafestival) for championing children’s literature in Nigeria.