Microsoft's Encarta Africana and the Afro-Hispanist
1999; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2327-9648
Autores Tópico(s)Cuban History and Society
ResumoMicrosoft's Encarta Africana, in CD-ROM format, was recently released (January 1999) and retails for $69.99. I imagine that review and complimentary copies have been sent to specific individuals and institutions. I purchased my copy from Howard University bookstore after requesting that several copies be ordered. My interest in purchasing software was both personal and professional. I contributed three entries on Dominican Republic: Rafael Trujillo, Sola, and Soriano Munoz, Florinda (`Mama Tingo'). I was also very interested in seeing what was included in this CD-ROM, which is being advertised as the Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Black History and and the Complete African and AfricanAmerican Interactive Encyclopedia. This is not intended to be a software/product review because I will neither extol Encarta Africana's virtuous qualities nor condemn its imperfections. Simply stated, my purpose is to provide facts about Encarta Africana which might be helpful to student researchers and teachers of Afro-Hispanic themes. I encourage those who review this product to decide for themselves if there are significant omissions and/or misrepresentations. The editorial team for this project was led was Henry Louis Gates, and Kwame Anthony Appiah, both of Afro-American Studies department at Harvard University. It includes over 5,500 articles, photographs, video, audio clips and maps. The following facts about Encarta Africana are reproduced directly from cover packaging of CD-ROM: Historical timeline depicts eight significant eras in entire African continent, Europe, Asia, and New World from 4 million B.C.E. to present. 100 sidebars present unique and scholarly perspectives on key topics. Virtual Tours let you travel to 3-D worlds of New York City's Harlem neighborhood; Paris, France, Gor6e Island, Senegal; Havana, Cuba; Bahia, Brazil; and Medinet Habu, Egypt. 6 Historic Sites in Africa bring you video segments of Tombouctou, ancient Nubia, Ethiopia, Swahili Coast, Slave Coast of Ghana and Benin, and Great Zimbabwe shot on location for PBS/BBC television series Into Africa with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Pinpointer technology makes searching for information fast and easy so you can find what you need in a snap--even if you don't know correct spelling. Research organizer reinforces great research habits with a powerful educational tool that helps students gather information from a variety of sources and create top-notch reports. More than 500 integrated Web Links encourage further research and exploration. I have categorized entries related to Afro-Hispanic themes into thee sections: 1. geographical locations, 2. literary, cultural manifestations and icons, and 3. individual personages. In case of articles on individual personages only, I have included brief summary descriptive statements which I culled directly from CD-ROM. It took more than five hours of searching documents to complete this task. I admit humbly that I might have omitted some related entries. The following geographical locations-cities, towns, regions, or countries-have full entries: Argentina, Bolivia, Choco, el (Colombia), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ecuatorial Guinea, Esmeraldas (Ecuador), Guatemala, Havana (Cuba), Hispaniola, Honduras, Palenque de San Basilio (Colombia), Palma Sola (Dominican Republic), Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Uruguay, Spain, Venezuela, and Veracruz (Mexico). Entries on following literary, cultural manifestations and icons are included: Abakuas Abolition and Emancipation in Latin America and Caribbean Abolitionist Novels in Cuba: An Interpretation African Elements in Venezuelan Religion African Ethnic Groups in Latin America and Caribbean Afro-Atlantic Culture: On Live Dialogue Between Africa and Americas Afro-Caribbean Religious Music Afro-Latin Jazz Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean Identity: An Interpretation Afro-Latino Culture in United States Afrocubanismo Black Literature in Spanish America Black Women in Colonial Hispanic Caribbean Blackness in Latin America and Caribbean: An Interpretation Blacks in Latin America Blacks and Indians in Latin America: An Interpretation Blanqueamiento or Whitening Chango Cimarron Complexities of Ethnic and Racial Terminology in Latin America and Caribbean Cuban Santeria Decima Eleggua Garifuna Image of Mulatta in Latin America and Caribbean Maroonage in Americas Merengue: Music, Race, and Nation Munequitos de Matanzas, Los Negrista Poets Pacific Coast of Colombia Palma Sola (Dominican Republic) Palo Monte (Regla de Palo) Pan-Africanism and Afro-Latin Americans Partido Independiente de Color Patronato Punishment of Slaves in Colonial Latin America and Caribbean Race in Latin America Racial Democracy in Latin America and Caribbean Religion, African, in Latin America and Caribbean Research on Afro-Latin America Role of Slaves in Abolition and Emancipation in Latin America and Caribbean Rumba Son, el Yemaya Zambo The following personages have full entries or major references dedicated to them: Aguirre Beltran, Gonzalo, One of Mexico's Most Influential Historians and Anthropologists Albizu Campos, Pedro, Afro-Puerto Rican Nationalist Leader Armenteros, Alfredo Chocolate, Afro-Cuban Trumpeter, Composer and Arranger Arozarena, Marcelino, Afro-Cuban Poet, Teacher, and Journalist Bauza, Mario, Afro-Cuban Trumpet Player Betances, Ramon Emeterio, Puerto-Rican Abolitionist Blades, Ruben, Panamanian Singer, Songwriter, and Actor Brindis de Salas, Virginia, Afro-Uruguayan Poet, Collaborator Burgos, Julia de, Afro-Puerto Rican Poet Cabral, Manuel del, Dominican Writer, Diplomat Cabrera, Lydia, Cuban Writer, Cultural Anthropologist Campos-Pons, Maria Magdalena, Afro-Cuban Multimedia Artist, Professor Cartagena Portalatin, Aida, Afro-Dominican Writer, Educator, Editor Celso Barbosa, Jose, Afro-Puerto Rican Doctor, Politician, and Legislator Clemente, Roberto, Afro-Puerto Rican Baseball Player Colon, Jesus, Afro-Puerto Activist and Writer Colon, Willie, Puerto Rican Salsa Music Pioneer Cordero, Rafael, Black Puerto Rican Educator Cordero, Roque, Afro-Panamanian Composer, Conductor, and Teacher Cordoba, Diego Luis de, Afro-Cuban Politician Cortijo, Rafael, Afro-Puerto Rican Musician Cruz, Celia, Afro-Cuban American Vocalist Davila, Angela Maria, Afro-Puerto Rican Poet, Journalist, and Political Activist Duncan, Quince, Afro-Costa Rican Writer of West Indian Descent Echemendia, Ambrosio, Afro-Cuban Poet born a Slave in Trinidad Estebanico, Afro-Arab Slave Who Became Explorer Guide in New Spain Estupinan Bass, Nelson, Afro-Ecuadorian Poet and Novelist Fernandez Robaina, Tomas, Cuban Librarian and Bibliographer Fierro, Francisco Pancho, Self-Taught Mulatto Artist of Peru Flores, Pedro, Afro-Puerto Rican Composer Gil de Castro, Jose, Afro-Peruvian Painter (Also Known as El Mulato Gil) Gomez Horacio, Maximiliano, Afro-Dominican Leader of Left-Wing Party Movimento Popular Dominicano Gomez, Sara, Afro-Cuban Film Director Gonzalez, Jose Luis, Afro-Puerto Rican Author (born in Dominican Republic) Gonzalez, Rubin, Afro-Cuban Jazz Pianist Guerra, Juan Luis, Guitarist, Singer, and Song Writer from Dominican Republic Guerrero, Vicente (El Negro), Mexican Leader of Mexican War of Independence Guillen, Nicolas, Afro-Cuban Poet, Writer, Journalist, and Social Activist Hernandez, Gaspar Octavio, Afro-Panamanian Modernist Poet and Journalist Heureaux, Ulises, Afro-Dominican Politician, Former President Illescas, Sebastian Alonso de, Afro-Ecuadorian Leader of Maroon Community in Esmeraldas James, Norberto, Afro-Dominican Writer and Poet Jimenez, Blas, Afro-Dominican Writer Juan Garrido: A Black Conquistador in Mexico Lam, Wilfredo, Afro-Cuban Painter and Sculptor Lecuona, Ernesto, Cuban Pianist and Composer Luperon, Gregorio, Afro-Dominican Political and Military Leader Maceo y Grajales, Antonio, Cuban Black War Hero Macias Nguema, Francisco, President of Equatorial Guinea Manzano, Juan Francisco, Cuban Poet, Autobiographer, Playwright, and Novelist Marrero Aristy, Ramon, Afro-Dominican Fiction Writer, Journalist, and Novelist Marti, Jose, Cuban Poet. …
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