“ADWA: Empress Taytu & Emperor Menelik in Love & War,” New Graphic Book Tells Story of Great African victory over Imperialism
Following a successful kickstarter campaign that raised $16,215 for artwork, editing, production, and printing, Milton Allimadi’s new book “ADWA: Empress Taytu & Emperor Menelik in Love & War,” (January 2023) is now available for purchase via www.taytuandmenelik.com (Please copy the url on your browser if the link doesn’t work).
The dramatized-history graphic book is about the great Battle of Adwa on March 1, 1896 when Ethiopia annihilated an invading Italian army seeking to colonize the country, in six hours.
Ethiopia’s Emperor Menelik commanded a huge army of tens of thousands while his wife Empress Taytu was in charge of a brigade of 6,000 men.
This was during a period referred to as the “Scramble for Africa,” when European powers carved our, conquered and colonized the continent in their quest for raw materials for their factories, agricultural land, enslaved labor and consumers of their manufactures.
The colonial enterprise was guided by white supremacist ideology of alleged innate African inferiority. Indeed, before he departed Rome for battle, Italian commander Gen. Oreste Baratieri promised his king, Umberto, that he’d return with Ethiopia’s Emperor Menelik II in a cage.
Instead, the Ethiopians killed nearly 3,000 Italian soldiers and captured almost an equal number. The dead included two Italian generals, Vittorio Dabormida and Giuseppe Arimondi, while one — Matteo Albertone — was captured. Baratieri himself fled from the battlefield when things became too rough.
The Italian captives were marched hundreds of miles to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital founded by Empress Taytu. They were jeered at and spat on by women as they stumbled into the city. Now the tables were turned. The Europeans were put to work, this time under the supervision of African captors. They were released months later after Italy paid millions in war reparations to Ethiopia.
As a result of the battlefield victory, Ethiopia was the only African country that was not colonized by a European power.
“Adwa was Africa’s greatest victory against white supremacy and imperialism,” says author Allimadi.
“I’m very grateful for my kickstarter supporters who helped bring this story to life. It’s a part of our collective history that all African people and African descendants must know about — as well as the general public.”
Errol L. Pierre is listed on the cover as co-producer in appreciation of his support of making the largest allowed contribution to the book’s kickstarter campaign. Audrey Kitagawa made the second largest contribution.
The hard cover book is 114 pages with 28 pieces of original illustrations by Ugandan artist Obedirwoth.
Kickstarter supporters receive copies of the book.
The book is available for purchase to the public at $32 plus $4.16 for mailing for a total of $36.16.
The book can be ordered via
www.taytuandmenelik.com (Please copy the url on your browser if the link doesn’t work).
The author, Allimadi, is available for book readings and signings via mallimadi@gmail.com Follow him on @allimadi via Twitter and miltonallimadi via IG