Ndirangu Wachanga is Professor of media studies and information science, University of Wisconsin. He is a memory worker, documentalist, archivist, and filmmaker. Wachanga’s documentary and archival projects seek to preserve African memory by capturing raw voices using visual and audio technology. His projects are housed by Princeton University’s African Memory Lab and at https://www.wachangaproductions.com.

His documentary, Ali Mazrui: A Walking Triple Heritage, won the 2015 New York African Studies Book Award. Wachanga’s recent publications include Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo: Making Life Sing in Pursuit of Utu (2022), and Ngugi: Reflections on a Life of Writing (edited with Simon Gikandi) (2018). 

Wachanga is now documenting the musical and intellectual life of Sona Jobarteh, the Gambian Kora player.