amba ▁and ▁Ernest ▁W amba ▁dia ▁W amba , ▁an ▁American ▁mother ▁and ▁a ▁Cong ol ese ▁professor - turn ed - re bel ▁father . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Dar ▁es ▁S ala am , ▁and ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁Harvard ▁University ▁as ▁an ▁under grad uate , ▁then ▁at ▁Columbia ▁University . ▁ ▁Career ▁W amba ▁worked ▁on ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁writing ▁and ▁publishing ▁projects , ▁cul min ating ▁in ▁his ▁service ▁as ▁Editor - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁now ▁def unct ▁online ▁magazine ▁Afr icana . com . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁published ▁a ▁mem oir ▁entitled ▁Kin ship : ▁A ▁Family ' s ▁J our ney ▁in ▁Africa ▁and ▁America . ▁W amba ▁was ▁profile d ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁Magazine ▁and ▁the ▁book ▁received ▁some ▁positive ▁reviews . ▁ ▁Death ▁W amba ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁car ▁accident ▁in ▁Ken ya ▁while ▁conduct ing ▁research ▁on ▁African ▁youth ▁movements . ▁The ▁Harvard ▁African ▁Stud ents ▁Al umn i ▁Network ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁raise ▁funds ▁in ▁his ▁memory ▁to ▁promote ▁traffic ▁safety ▁in ▁Africa . Hen ry ▁Louis ▁G ates , ▁a ▁ment or ▁who ▁helped ▁promote ▁W amba ' s ▁mem oir , ▁said ▁at ▁his ▁fun eral , ▁" Ph ili ppe ▁lived ▁on ▁no ▁man ' s ▁hy phen ." ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 7 1 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 0 2 ▁death s ▁Category : American ▁people ▁of ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁of