Africana

plural noun

Af·​ri·​ca·​na ˌa-fri-ˈka-nə  -ˈkä- 

-ˈkā-

also ˌä-

: materials (such as books, documents, or artifacts) relating to African history and culture

Examples of Africana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Black newspapers, abolitionist papers and Black church groups also shared information, according to Kellie Carter Jackson, chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 19 June 2026

Cape Verdeans first arrived in Massachusetts and Rhode Island as whalers in the 18th and 19th centuries, says Aminah Pilgrim, an associate professor of Africana studies at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2026

Tillet is Distinguished Professor Africana Studies and Creative Writing at Rutgers University–Newark and a contributing critic at-large at the New York Times. — Time, 30 Apr. 2026

Weber excelled in schools and later, academia, helping to found the Africana Studies Department at San Diego State University. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026

The university is also cutting minors in Africana, Mexican American, Asian, LGBTQ, and women's and gender studies. — Milla Surjadi, Dallas Morning News, 3 Apr. 2026

Undergraduate minors in Africana, Mexican American, Asian, LGBTQ, and women’s and gender studies — as well as a master’s program in women’s and gender studies — will also shutter. — Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026

The exhibition was spearheaded by curator in charge Andrew Bolton, as well as guest curator Monica Miller − professor and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University. — Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

africa + -ana

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above