The Africa-America Institute (AAI) has officially announced the launch of its State of Education 2026 Conference, titled “Following The Gold Road—Global Medieval Africa in the Time of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.” This free online conference, presented in partnership with Howard University’s Center for African Studies and Boston University’s African Studies Center, delves into 1,400 years of significant and often under-recognized history, highlighting the grandeur of medieval West African empires.

“Following the Gold Road” focuses on a period when figures like Mansa Musa, the 14th-century king of the incredibly rich, gold-based Malian Empire, stood as the wealthiest ruler on Earth and a pivotal world historical figure. The conference aims to reframe global medieval history by emphasizing Africa's essential contributions to the world economy through its prized resource, gold, and by spotlighting its advancements in art, architecture, learning, and governance during the 6th to 16th centuries.

Accompanying the conference is the “Mali Gold” music playlist, curated by Banning Eyre for Afropop Worldwide. This expansive playlist features iconic hits from the golden age of Malian music, spanning from the 1980s onwards, and includes beloved artists such as Salif Keita, Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangaré, Toumani Diabaté, Habib Koité, Kandia Kouyaté, and the Super Rail Band.

The conference is structured as a three-part lecture series, with sessions presented on January 14, 21, and 28. These lectures will later be available on YouTube. Leading U.S.-based scholars of African history and anthropology will deliver the presentations, targeting K-12 educators as well as all other interested individuals.

This 2026 edition of AAI’s State of Education Conference underscores the centrality of ancient West African empires to the global economy. While particularly useful for educators, The Gold Road is a free conference open to the public, inviting broad participation. This annual Education Conference continues AAI's legacy, since its founding in 1953, as a leading bridge for education and opportunity between Africa and the U.S. AAI has provided over 23,000 scholarships and fellowships to African students, many of whom have gone on to become presidents, heads of ministries, academics, educators, a Nobel Prize winner, and leaders in business and civil society, including Barack Obama Senior.