Black history month: Mansa Musa

[soleiltropiques]

'Meet Mansa Musa I of Mali - the richest human being in all history'

Comments

[soleiltropiques]

"This is a random aside, but how was that list complied? Marcus Licinius Crassus is (still) the richest person who has ever lived, with an inflation-adjusted fortune of around 2 trillion. XD"

I'm not sure, as the site did not give their methods (http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/25-richest-people-lived-inflation-adjusted/). Crassus does not seem to be part of the list.

So the answer is that I don't know. :)

Still, I don't think any of this detracts from Mansa Musa's accomplishments. :)

[meadowphoenix]

That's not based on the modern notion of the sesterce. According to this article, even with inflation, he only had $200 million and $20 billion, but there is some discussion about it.

[triannamaxwell]

Where are my historical YA novels about this kingdom!? I might even be able to convince my students to read historical fiction if there was one set in this kingdom.

[romp]

as I recall, this picture book it quite wordy: http://www.amazon.com/Mansa-Musa-The-Lion-Mali/dp/0152003754

Have you tried The Royal Diaries or are they too young? They're not short and my wife read and liked the one about Korea (Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars, Korea, A.D. 595) so they're not boringly simple. There's one set in Angola and one set in Haiti by Edwidge Danticat(!) about a girl fighting the newly-arrived Spanish. No Mali though. :(

[soleiltropiques]

Those look really cool. Thanks for the information! :)

[soleiltropiques]

I definitely agree that this would make for a kick-ass adolescent/young adult novel. :)

[romp]

Love this story. I learned about him from Henry Louis Gates Jr in Wonders of the African World series. Crashign the economy of a continent like a badass!

There are gorgeous children's books about him (Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali) and his grandfather (Sundiata: Lion King of Mali).

[soleiltropiques]

Thanks for the information! It would be a great setting for a book for teens, as well. :)

[new_wave_witch]

I JUST watched the Mansa Musa part of Crash Course a few hours ago!

[soleiltropiques]

This is quite neat! Thanks for the link. :)