Dr. Kwaku Person-Lynn

Known for his way with students, Kwaku Person-Lynn is a native of Los Angeles, a husband, father of five sons and a grandfather of two. Professionally, he is an historian, musicologist, educator, author, filmmaker, and radio producer.

He has published two books (e.g., First Word: Black Scholars, Thinkers, Warriors: Knowledge, Wisdom, Mental Liberation. New York: Harlem River Press, 1996; On My Journey Now; The Narrative of Dr. John Henrik Clarke. Northridge, CA: California State University, Northridge Department of Pan African Studies special edition of The Journal of Pan African Studies) and is currently working on a third (expected soon). A future book will compile his over 200 articles, essays and book chapters. In the early 1980s, his dissertation chapter “Rap Music – Afrikan Music Renaissance” was the first scholarly publication on rap/hip hop and has been published in several books and on the Internet.

In the early 1970s, Dr. Kwaku was a record producer for A&M Records, the first Black recording engineer at the company, and only one of four Black record executives in the country. He was also founder of the Malcolm X Center in Los Angeles. He received his bachelor degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills, his master and doctorate from UCLA, being the first person of Afrikan descent in the history of UCLA to graduate from the Individual Ph.D. Program, requiring two majors (Afrikan World History and African World Music, and a minor in anthropology).

Dr. Kwaku has also produced two films: Afrikan World Civilizations, covering the history, culture and accomplishments of Africans people around the world, (the first of its kind) and Afrikan World Masters, featuring John Henrik Clarke, Ivan Van Sertima, Frances Cress Welsing and Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He also teaches adult and youth history classes in the community.

Website: www.drkwaku.com