“[A] riveting account of Princess Emma Sandile.” —Dawne Yvette Curry, International Journal of African Historical Studies

Janet Hodgson tells the inspiring story of Emma Sandile (1842-1892)—Princess Emma, as she was known in southern African colonial circles—in a narrative that reads like a novel, but is all true, based on archival sources and extensive fieldwork.

Tracing the life of this pioneer of black womanism, Hodgson explores Sandile’s early years, her education, and her many achievements as she became the first black woman landowner in Southern Africa and author of the first known work in English by an Xhosa woman. Princess Emma successfully bridged her African traditions with the imposed Western culture, facing challenges that will resonate with readers today.