Book Talk: When We Ruled with Paula Akpan

Come down to The Scarlett Letters to celebrate the release of When We Ruled by Paula Akpan, where we will be joined by Paula herself to discuss her brilliant new book!

Discover the reigns of twelve African queens and warriors, women who ruled vast swathes of the African continent. They led, loved and fought for their kingdoms and people and their impact can still be felt today. However, beyond the lands they called home, so few of us have heard their names.

From pre-colonial Nigeria to the rich plains of Rwanda, from the hills of Madagascar to apartheid South Africa, historian Akpan writes the stories of these powerful queens and takes you on a spellbinding, enrapturing and immersive journey that is nothing short of revelatory.

This event will be moderated by fellow historian and self-described "overly verbose feminist" Jade Bentil!

Doors will open just after 6pm for a 6:30pm start.

About the Author

Paula Akpan (she/her) is a Black British historian and writer who gained a distinction in her fully funded MA in Black British History and who has credits in Vogue, Teen Vogue, The Independent, Stylist, VICE, i-D, Bustle, Time Out London and more. This is her much-anticipated debut book.

About the Moderator

Jade Bentil is a writer and historian from South London. She holds a DPhil in History from Merton College, the University of Oxford. Jade’s debut book, REBEL CITIZEN, uses oral history interviews to explore the lived experiences of Black women who migrated to Britain following the Second World War and is forthcoming from Allen Lane. Her debut monograph, an oral history of the Black Women’s movement in twentieth-century Britain, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press.