Ama Mazama (aka Marie-Josée Cérol) is Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Programs of the Department of Africa American Studies at Temple University. She received her PhD with highest distinction from La Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III. After graduating from La Sorbonne with Highest Distinction in Linguistics for her doctorarte, Professor Ama Mazama taught at the University of Texas, Pennsylvania State University, before arriving at Temple University in l993. She established a reputation as the principal exponent of the African origin of the Guadeloupian language. In two books, Langue et Identité en Guadeloupe: Une Perspective Afrocentrique and Une Introduction au Créole Guadeloupéen.
She is the Managing Editor of the Journal of Black Studies. Her publications appear in journals in three continents. Well known as an educational consultant for the infusion of African content in American schools Mazama has written several books for teachers in addition to her major scholarly works in Afrocentric philosophy and theory. Two co-edited encyclopedias, the Encyclopedia of Black Studies and the Encyclopedia of African Religion, earned praise for their pioneering work from the National Council of Black Studies. Her scholarly works critique domination and hegemonic philosophies, reveal the cultural, linguistic, and religious bases of Caribbean culture, especially Vodu, and examine cultural and critical methods of establishing an ethic of justice and equity.