Akinyele Omowale Umoja

About the Author

Akinyele Omowale Umoja is a distinguished historian and scholar whose work illuminates the often-overlooked dimensions of Black liberation struggles in America. Specializing in African American history and social movements, Umoja's research challenges mainstream narratives by highlighting the role of armed self-defense in the fight for civil rights. His seminal book, We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance in the Mississippi Freedom Movement, draws on extensive archival evidence and oral histories to reveal how local activists in Mississippi employed firearms to protect nonviolent protesters from white supremacist violence during the 1960s. A professor and activist, Umoja continues to influence contemporary discussions on resistance, justice, and the complexities of freedom movements through his teaching and public engagements.