Introduction for EMC

Empress Menen Chronicles is the chronicling of the African woman’s experience from ancient times to present. We hold that the perfect embodiment of that story is the Empress Menen herself, who ascended the throne of the oldest civilization in the world, in November of 1930, as Empress and Co-Regent of Quedemawi Haile Selassie I. At present, it can be argued, that the Rastafari movement, like many other black liberation movements, is still awaking up from the deep slumber of European, patriarchal, imposed order. We are slowly, as brothers and sisters, realizing that we are much more than what we have become.

A faithful study of Empress Menen’s life will be a bright light (as is the meaning of her name) to guide us forward to our greatness. It was in Africa that the world was first introduced to the concepts of Queen and Goddess. Many, many symbols, stories and legends still exist today about those ancient powerful women. The Empress Menen Chronicles exist to re-ignite the self-determined vision of black womanhood, motherhood and sisterhood. This journal exists to whisper in the ear of African women that the world, and our communities are awaiting our leadership to move them from chaos to order. As was true in the beginning of time, so is true today, the African woman has an indispensable, critical role to play in the evolution of the human race.