In African and Africans As Seen by Classical Writers, the second of two groundbreaking volumes, the father of African Studies, William Leo Hansberry, examines classical references to the African continent and its people. The writings of Homer, Pliny, Ovid, Virgil, Herodotus and others are discussed and analyzed in a lively and highly readable manner.

The essays included in Africa and Africans As Seen by Classical Writers are taken from Hansberry's private papers amassed while he taught at Howard University from 1922-1959. During these thirty-seven years, Hansberry laid the foundation for the systematic study of African history, culture and politics. Hansberry, who received both his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Harvard University, unfortunately, was never able to receive his doctorate in African Studies as there were no programs offering the degree in his time.