History of Africa

Molefi Kete Asante is Professor of Africology at Temple University, USA. He is the author of 101 books including the forthcoming Africa’s Gifts of the Spirit. He is the author of African American People: A Global History, The Afrocentric Manifesto, and Revolutionary Pedagogy.

"In this fourth edition of The History of Africa the historian and philosopher Molefi Kete Asante has extended the reach of his already best-selling and popular book. This edition is heavily illustrated with updated photographs, charts, and graphs as well as key narratives on themes and memes in politics, ecology, and demographics. The unique and well-researched areas of history involving the agency of the African people themselves are further highlighted with dramatic examples that bring to life the experiences of the ordinary people of Africa, and narrations of documents central to understanding the unfolding of African history. The History of Africa written by the most prolific African American scholar is already one of the most classic books ever written on African history. It is praised by scholars who have studied Africa for decades as well as those who are newcomers to the field. Asante’s history releases the history of Africa from the chains of observers who see Africa as object and his work thrusts the continent and its people into the forefront of Africa as actors, not as spectators to the visions of others. In this way Asante’s fourth edition of The History of Africa is a visionary work based solidly on the grounding that comes from the overwhelming nature of the evidence, resources, and experiences of African people. No other history of Africa is so conscious of the narrative of its people from human origin to the 21st century."Jabali Ade, Temple University, USA, editor of Afrocentricity in Afro-Futurism: Toward Afrocentric Futurism

• Introduction to the Fourth Edition, The History of Africa: The Quest for Eternal Harmony Part I: The Time of Awakening 1. Africa and the Origin of Humanity Part II: The Age of Literacy 2. Africa and the Beginning of Civilization 3. The Rise of Kemet/Egypt 4. The Elements of Early African Civilization 5. Governance and the Political Stability of Kemet Part III: The Moment of Realization 6. The Emergence of the Great River Kingdoms Part IV: The Age of Construction 7. The Spread of Classical Empires and Kingdoms 8. The Sudanic Empires: Historians and Their Narratives 9. Generators of Traditional and Contemporary Africa 10. Societies of Secrets and Institutions Part V: The Time of Chaos 11. Arab and European Missionaries, Merchants, and Mercenaries 12. Resisting European and Arab Slave Traders Part VI: The Age of Reconstruction 13. Africa Regains Consciousness in a Pan-African Explosion Part VII: The Time for Consolidation 14. Africa Consolidates Independence 15. Toward a United States of Africa Without Compromise: Creation of the African Union