PIUS NGANDU NKASHAMA is Professor of French Language and Literature in the French Department of Louisiana State University (USA).  He is also the Director of the LSU Center for French and Francophone Studies. He was awarded the 2004 Fonlon-Nichols Award for his commitment to democratic ideals, humanistic values and literary excellence in Africa.

Dr. PIUS NGANDU NKASHAMA is not only a worlwide specialist of francophone African literatures; he is also an established and acclaimed writer, novelist, poet, and playwriter.  He has published more than fifty books either in French or in Cilubà.

Dr. PIUS NGANDU NKASHAMA' s major Dictionary of African Literary Works in two volumes was published in 2004 by the Presses Universitaires du Nouveau Monde:

- Écritures Littéraires. Dictionnaire critique des oeuvres africaines de langue française. Vol. I  ISBN: 1-931948-01-1.

- Écritures Littéraires. Dictionnaire critique des oeuvres africaines de langue française. Vol. II ISBN: 1-931948-13-5.