The Library is honored to have a collection of African art and artifacts on display now. In two display cases on the First Floor, you will find Yoruba artwork from Southwestern Nigeria. This collection is on loan from Dr. Pedro Campa, Professor of Romance Languages, and consists of fascinating cultural artifacts including divination trays, shrine figures, and more. The Yoruba people have a rich history of urban kingdoms dating back at least 1,500 years, and their influence has been felt far beyond the reaches of their West African home. Primarily due to the West African slave trade and the British colonial period, the Yoruba and their descendants have large populations in the Americas and Europe, where their important cultural traditions have carried on.
This exhibit was made possible through funding provided to the History Department from the UTC Access and Diversity grant program.