Yosef Alfredo Antonio Ben-Jochannan (<!--"Pt 15/15 Dr.Clarke vs. M. Lefkowitz-The Black Athena Debate" at 5:43-->; December 31, 1918 – March 19, 2015), commonly referred to as "Dr. Ben", was an American writer and historian. He was considered to be one of the more prominent Afrocentric scholars by some Black Nationalists. Conversely, mainstream scholars, such as Mary Lefkowitz, dismissed him citing historical inaccuracies in his work, and disputes about his academic credentials.
Early life and education
Ben-Jochannan claimed to have been born in Ethiopia to a Puerto Rican mother of Yemeni Jewish origin and an Ethiopian Jewish father.
In March 2015, following his death, The New York Times reported, "[T]here is little evidence for that other than his own word; some peers, and even a family member, have privately expressed doubts."
Ben-Jochannan's academic record is disputed, with claims he was educated variously in Puerto Rico, Brazil, Cuba, or Spain, earning degrees in either engineering and/or anthropology. In 1938, he is said to have earned a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico; this is disputed as the registrar has no record of his attendance.
The New York Times summarized the lifelong inconsistencies in his reported academic record: