Samson Kaunga Ndanyi

Samson Kaunga Ndanyi is an Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee. He holds a PhD in African History from Indiana University, alongside advanced degrees in African History, Social Sciences, and Film/TV Production.

His research focuses on the socio-political history of cinema in colonial and postcolonial eastern Africa, particularly Kenya. His first book, Instructional Cinema and African Audiences in Colonial Kenya, 1926-1963 (Lexington Books, 2022), examines how cinema served as a contested space of cultural and political power. He is currently working on a second book exploring cinema, homosexuality, and legal battles over free speech in Kenya.

Dr. Ndanyi’s peer-reviewed articles span topics like film censorship, colonial wage labor, and cannabis history in Kenya. He also contributes to online platforms, critiquing Kenyan political trends and advocating for artistic freedom. His teaching spans African history surveys, global cinema studies, and courses on cannabis and piracy history.

He has reviewed books on Ethiopian cinema, Maasai education, and Tanzanian film industries. His interdisciplinary work bridges African Studies, media studies, and global history.