Frederic A. Sharf is a collector, scholar and author. His interests lie in acquiring previously unpublished manuscript accounts written by men and women who observed events of historic significance in the period from 1865 to 1940 and making these accounts available to a worldwide audience.

Richard Pankhurst is a scholar and educator who has lived in Ethiopia for more than 30 years. He is a professor at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa, Professor Pankhurst is the prolific and respected author of numerous publications dealing with the history of Ethiopia.