author
Alice Werner
1859–1935
A pioneering scholar of African languages, she brought Bantu folklore, language study, and East African literature to English readers at a time when few writers in Britain were doing so. Her work blends careful scholarship with a real curiosity about the people and stories she encountered.
1 Audiobook
The natives of British Central Africa
by Alice Werner
About the author
Born in Trieste on June 26, 1859, Alice Werner spent parts of her early life in New Zealand, Mexico, the United States, and Europe before studying at Newnham College, Cambridge. She later became known as a writer, poet, and teacher of Bantu languages, building a career around African language and literature.
Visits to southern and central Africa shaped much of her work. She taught African languages in London and later joined the School of Oriental Studies, where she became a professor and helped establish the academic study of African languages in Britain. Her published work included language studies, essays, poetry, and collections such as Swahili Tales and The Natives of British Central Africa.
Werner died on June 9, 1935. Today she is remembered both for her writing and for her role in bringing African folklore and Bantu language study into English academic and literary life.