Queen Njinga of Angola was one of the great rulers of the 17th century, a woman who rivaled Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great in political cunning and military prowess. This lecture will explore the political and religious dimensions of Queen Njinga’s life, as she dealt with Portuguese governors, the Dutch West India Company, and European missionaries. We’ll also take a look at Njinga’s legacy in the United States, and how some Afro-American writers and artists have presented the story of Queen Njinga to readers and theater-going audiences.