Celebrating Blackness 2014 Vol. 2

The Museum Of UnCut Funk celebrates The Great Kings and Queen of Africa collection from Anheuser-Busch. The project began in 1975 and continued through 2000. The collection of 30 paintings highlights the richness of African history.

“The Great Kings and Queens of Africa” is a series of 30 works by 23 African American artists, many of whom went on to have successful careers in fine art. It features the great leaders and rulers throughout African history, researched by leading African history scholar, Prof. John Henrik Clarke. The paintings became a valued part of teaching African history throughout the country.

The collection has been viewed more than 43 million times, including exhibits at the 1982 World’s Fair, 1996 Summer Olympics and on Capitol Hill. The collection’s award-winning artists included Jonathan Knight, Alexander Bostic, Barbara Higgins-Bond, Paul Collins, John Biggers, Lydia Thompson, Jerry Pinkney, Leo Dillon and Carl Owens.

The collection includes:

• Hatshepsut The Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity (1503-1482 BC)
• Tiye The Nubian Queen of Egypt (circa 1415-1340 BC)
• Akhenaton Pharaoh of Egypt (1375-1358 BC)
• Makeda Queen of Sheba (960 BC)
• Thutmose III Pharaoh of Egypt (753-712 BC)
• Taharqa King of Nubia (710-664 BC)
• Hannibal Ruler of Carthage (247-183 BC)
• Nefertari Nubian Queen of Egypt (192-1225 BC)
• Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC)
• Tenkamenin King of Ghana (1037-1075 AD)
• Mansa Kankan Musa King of Mali (1306-1337)
• Sunni Ali Beer King of Songhay (circa 1442-1492)
• Affonso I King of the Kongo (circa 1486-1543)
• Askia Muhammaed Toure King of Songhay (1493-1529)
• Idris Alooma Sultan of Bornu (1580-1617)
• Nzingha—Amazon Queen of Matambo (1582-1663)
• Queen Amina of Zaria (1588-1589)
• Shamba Bolongongo African King of Peace (1600-1620)
• Osei Tutu King of Asante (circa 1650-1717)
• Nandi Queen of Zululand (1778-1826 AD)
• Moshoeshoe King of Batsutoland (circa 1786-1870)
• Shaka-King of the Zulus (1787-1828)
• Khama III The Good King of Bechuanaland (1819-1923)
• Ja Ja King of the Opobo (1821-1891)
• Samory Toure The Black Napoleon of the Sudan (1830-1900)
• Mwana Ngana Ndumba Tembo—Ruler of the Angolan Tchokwe (1840-1880 circa)
• Benhanzin Hossu Bowelle—The King Shark (1841-1906)
• Menelek II King of Kings of Abyssinia (1844-1913)
• Nehanda of Zimbabwe (1862-1898)
• Yaa Asantewa Queen of Ghana (1863-1923)

To learn more about The Great Kings and Queens of Africa series and the artists please visit: http://anheuser-busch.com/index.php/our-responsibility/community-our-neighborhoods/education/legends-of-the-crown-image-gallery/