Nwando Achebe, a University Distinguished Professor and the Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor of History at Michigan State University, has been elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious learned societies dedicated to advancing historical scholarship. Fellowships are awarded to scholars who have made original and substantial contributions to the historical discipline.
“It is an extraordinary honor to be elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society,” said Dr. Achebe. “Throughout my career, I have sought to demonstrate that African history is not peripheral to world history — it is central to it. I am deeply grateful that this fellowship recognizes scholarship that expands the historical record, challenges inherited narratives and affirms Africa as a generator of historical knowledge, not simply an object of historical study.”
Dr. Achebe has been a faculty member at Michigan State since 2005. In addition to teaching, she serves as the associate dean for access, faculty development, and strategic implementation in the university’s College of Social Sciences. As a scholar, she is known for her research on the study of women, gender, sexuality, and oral history in Nigeria. Dr. Achebe’s research has led to multiple published books, including her most recent work, Female Monarchs and Merchant Queens in Africa (Ohio University Press, 2020). She currently serves as president of the African Studies Association and founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of West African History.
A native of Nigeria, Dr. Achebe earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before joining the Michigan State faculty, she taught at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
