Akbar Imhotep was a storyteller, puppeteer and poet. He was also a community activist based in Atlanta, Georgia. Imhotep was born on December 22, 1951, in Perry, Georgia. He graduated from Houston High School in 1969 and received his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, in 1973.

Imhotep's artistic journey began in 1975 when an interest in poetry led him to the Neighborhood Arts Center in Atlanta. Under the tutelage of Ebon Dooley, Imhotep honed his skills as a writer. One year later, he became a charter member of the Proposition Theatre Company with which he was active until 1979. He was a puppeteer for the Center for Puppetry Arts from 1979 to 1985.

Although Imhotep had always been a storyteller, he began telling folktales professionally in the fall of 1985. He may be best known as the storyteller-in-residence for 37 years at Atlanta's Wrens Nest, where his stories connected Uncle Remus tales and African folktales.

Among his honors, Imhotep received a Governor's Arts and Humanities Award in 2012 and the Zora Neale Hurston Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Association of Black Storytellers in 2022. He also is the author of several books.

In addition to his work as an artist, Imhotep made great contributions as a community activist in Atlanta. His affiliations and memberships included the Metro Atlanta Kwanzaa Association (MAKA), Atlanta Area Toastmasters, Universal African American Peoples Organization, National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS), and Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia.

Akbar Imhotep passed away in 2022.