About Us

In an increasingly complex national and international scene it is important that there are independent African voices seeking to study, research and implement solutions to problems preventing the full measure of African agency and identity whether in Africa or the Diaspora.  With this in mind, and using a classical African orientation, the Molefi Kete Asante Institute for Afrocentric Studies seeks to insure that the assertion of African cultural values and traditions will become a standard part of any design involving the cultural, health, social, economic, spiritual, or political discourses about black people.  

Afrocentric research fellows from across the United States and world have joined with the Molefi Kete Asante Institute to form an intellectual panoply dedicated to understanding the facts and promoting lively conversations, workshops, seminars, and conferences advancing African American, African Caribbean, African Brazilian, African Latino, and continental African realities. With a strong public lecture series the MKAI has carried forth a public education about African American and African history, politics, economics, contemporary culture, linguistics, psychology, and religion.  

The Molefi Kete Asante Institute was the brainchild of Ana Yenenga Asante who sought a library and repository for thousands of books and numerous honors collected by Molefi Kete Asante. It evolved, after much discussion, into a think-tank utilizing the theory of Afrocentricity as the foundation for all inquiries into social, health, spiritual, economic, and educational issues with the aim of bringing together ordinary African people with experts, scholars, and workshop leaders to offer solutions to contemporary challenges. Named for the most published African American scholar, Molefi Kete Asante, the Institute bases its projects, mission, activities, and applications on Asante’s vision of African agency in the defining of the African narrative. The Institute was founded by Molefi Kete Asante and his wife, Ana Yenenga Asante in 2011.

The areas of research investigations and reports include: demographic changes, historical facts, advocacy analysis, peace-building activities, health and environment, social and political issues, revolutionary pedagogy, Pan African connections, and human rights issues.

Hence, the mission of the Molefi Kete Asante Institute is to develop a framework and practice of physical, cultural, and social well being with enough intellectual capital to assist other communities in the development of mature responses to critical chasms in our quality of life. The Institute is a think-tank, and educational and transformative non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Board Members: M. K. Asante, Dr. Jabali Ade (Aaron Smith), Karim Boyd, Dr. Nah Dove, Dr. Valerie Harrison, Carlton Soudan, Stanley Straughter, and Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, Ex-Officio.