Rewatch the lecture by Pulitzer Price finalist Howard French, author of Born in Blackness 

At the invitation of VUB professor Jonathan Holslag, renowned American author and professor Howard French gave a lecture in the prestigious Gothic Hall of Brussels City Hall on Monday 30 May. French is the author of the renowned book Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War. In this work, described by the New York Times as “moving, humbling, and essential reading”, French brilliantly argues the case for the recognition of Africa’s immense contribution to modernity. The lecture was followed by a Q&A with the author, moderated by VUB professor of international politics Jonathan Holslag.
This was the first in a prestigious VUB lecture series on the current state of the world. Great contemporary thinkers and academic experts will be invited to shed light on the global social and economic shift taking place. Through debates, discussions and Q&As, they will comment on the existential challenges of our time and suggest possible solutions.