Leroy Vail, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Leroy Vail

Date of Birth: 05-Aug-1940

Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Date of Death: 27-Mar-1999

Profession: linguist

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Leroy Vail (August 5, 1940 – March 27, 1999) whose birth name was Hazen Leroy Vail was an American specialist in African studies and educator who specialised in the history and linguistics of Central Africa and later extended his interests to Southern Africa.
He taught in universities in Malawi, Zambia and the United States and his research in the first two countries inclined him toward the view that Central Africa underwent a period of underdevelopment that began in the mid-19th century and accelerated under colonial rule.
After his return to the United States, he cooperated with Landeg White on studies of colonial Mozambique and on the value of African poetry and songs as a source of oral history.