The Black Orpheus Journal of African and Afro-American Literature was first published between 1957 and 1967. It was founded by Ulli Beier, a German-Jewish expatriate whose work in the arts in the late fifties Nigeria helped bridge a crucial gap between Francophone, Anglophone, and Afro-American literatures. His network and friendship with sculptors, painters, writers, artists and other numerous influential cultural figures in Ìbàdàn, Òṣogbo, Nsukka, and other places, helped facilitate a number of eventful art movements in the late fifties to early seventies.
Volume 1 of Black Orpheus had 22 issues, all edited by Ulli Beier and a rorating cast of Nigerian editors. The covers were designed mostly by Susanne Wenger, his first wife, and Georgina Beier, his second. You can read more about the Black Orpheus covers here.
After Ulli Beier left Nigeria in 1967 at the beginning of the Civil War, the journal was edited by J.P. Clark and Abiola Irele. The editorial direction of the journal became more Africa-focused, as did the covers. The cover art of first edition of Volume 2 was designed by Bruce Onobrakpeya in honour of Christopher Okigbo who died a year earlier.
On this page, you will find links, updates, and findings related to this one-year project, supported by OlongoAfrica and a number of collaborators.
Upcoming Activities
- Exhibition at ART X Lagos (October 31 - November 3, 2024): Visitors will witness the physical introduction to this project, via a presentation of a few original copies of Black Orpheus, highlighting the work of Ulli Beier, Georgina Beier, Susanne Wenger, Jacob Afolabi, Colette Omogbai, Demas Nwoko, and Wole Ṣóyínká.
- Black Orpheus Digitization project ( November, 2024): in collaboration with Archivi.ng
- OlongoAfrica Black Orpheus Research Fellowship (2025, TBD): in collaboration with G.A.S and Angels & Muse, Lagos.
Helpful links
- Black Orpheus: Every Cover from the First Series — Rebecca Romney
- Black Orpheus: Judging a Book by Its Cover — Josh MacPhee
- Black Orpheus at WorldCat
- “A Decade of Black Orpheus” (1968) by Bernth Lindfors in Jstor
- “Black Orpheus: A Review” (1965) by Abiola Irele in Jstor
- “The Achievement of Black Orpheus” (1961) by Gerald Moore in Jstor
- “The New Black Orpheus” (1970) by Gerald Moore in Jstor
Supporters and Collaborators
Please direct inquiries to publisher@olongoafrica.com