No, African blackwood is actually a member of the rosewood family (Dalbergia) whereas Ebony is in the diospyros family which just happens to include Persimmon. Texas ebony is not a true ebony.
It works well but can be brittle. It also can respond poorly to excessive sanding. Like most dense exotics it has a tendency to heat check if it gets too hot from sanding. So clean cuts or sanding with a lubricant is recommended. I prefer to sand dense exotics with paste wax which can be easily cleaned between grits with a paper towel and some mineral spirits.