African History and Culture

Africa is the birthplace of humankind and knowing its history is essential for understanding the global society that's grown around it. Here, you'll discover resources on the continent's prominent historical figures, complex racial politics, and turbulent military past.

  • Segregated bus in South Africa
    What Was Apartheid in South Africa?
  • Circa 1602 Spanish map of Northeastern Africa
    Countries in Africa Considered Never Colonized
  • A mixed-race couple in South Africa
    The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act
  • Steven Biko
    South Africa's Black Consciousness Movement in the 1970s
  • Shaka Zulu
    The Assassination of Shaka Zulu (September 24, 1828)
  • Illustration depicting the traffic of enslaved people on the coast of Africa
    A Short History of the African Slave Trade
  • Church of St. Georges, Ethiopia
    Early Christianity in North Africa
  • A Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officer stands near a burning pile of 15 tonnes of elephant ivory
    A Brief History of Poaching in Africa
  • Stanley meets Livingstone
    Events Leading to the Scramble for Africa
  • Colors of Ancient Egypt
  • Get the Definition of Ubuntu, a Nguni Word with Several Meanings
  • South Africa : Illustration
    Why Was Africa Called the Dark Continent?
  • Songhai Empire
    Biography of Sonni Ali, Songhai Monarch
  • Storm clouds over traditional house in Mali
    A Brief History of Mali
  • Harold Macmillan
    "Wind of Change" Speech
  • Judgement is made in the Mau Mau Uprising Compensation bid
    Mau Mau Rebellion Timeline: 1951-1963
  • A Brief History of Cameroon
  • Inkatha Freedom Fighters
    The End of South African Apartheid
  • Map of Africa with flags.
    Alphabetical List of All African Countries
  • Outside the Apartheid Museum.
    School Enrollment in Apartheid Era South Africa
  • A postcard issued by the government of Jomo Kenyatta to mark Kenya's formal independence on 12th December 1963.
    The Challenges African States Faced at Independence
  • Young girl holding the flag of Ghana in a crowd of people on a sunny day.
    A Brief History of Ghana Since Independence
  • Enslaved people being chained by enslavers aboard a ship and forced below deck
    The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
  • Our Lady of Peace, Ivory Coast
    A Very Short History of Côte D'Ivoire
  • Marakkesh
    A Brief History of Morocco
  • Elephant at Sunset in Zambia
    A Brief History of Zambia
  • Ancient Egyptian calendar carved into the stone walls of the Temple of Kom Ombo, dating to about 2nd to 1st century BC
    Ancient Egypt: Birthplace of the Modern Calendar
  • Julius Kambarage Nyerere
    Julius Kambarage Nyerere Quotes
  • The Monument to the Charter
    The Freedom Charter in South Africa
  • Swaziland
    History of Eswatini
  • UN Troops In The Sinai Desert during Suez Crisis
    Timeline: The Suez Crisis
  • African Elephant at Water Hole, Botswana
    A Brief History of Botswana
  • Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo
    What Was Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe?
  • King Hussein and Ahmed Sekou Toure
    Biography of Ahmed Sékou Touré
  • Antiapartheid editor Donald Woods sitting outside during 1st visit back after 13 yr. self-imposed exile in GB
    Biography of Donald Woods, South African Journalist
  • The Northern Stele Park at the town of Axum, Ethiopia
    Five Things You Don't Know About Africa
  • Cape Town newspaper promoting talk on 'scourge of racism'
    The Origins of Apartheid in South Africa
  • P. W. Botha at a podium speaking before a crowd.
    Quotes From PW Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa
  • Former Tanzania President Julius Nyerere
    What Was Ujamaa and How Did It Affect Tanzania?
  • Century Magazine illustration showing enslaved people in a boat
    African Traders of Enslaved People
  • Captives Being Brought On Board A Slave Ship On The West Coast Of Africa (Slave Coast) C1880
    Images of Enslavement and the Slave Trade
  • Punishment of enslaved people, Muslim custom, engraving from Description of Africa, by Olfert Dapper (circa 1635-1689), 1686, Africa, 17th century
    The Role of Islam in Slavery in Africa
  • A man sitting on a bench labelled NON-WHITES ONLY
    Understanding South Africa's Apartheid Era
  • San (Bushman) child jumping of fallen tree. Grashoek, Bushmanland , Namibia
    Trance Dance of the San
  • Man Sitting on 'Europeans Only' Bench
    Racial Classification Under Apartheid
  • African Adinkra Pattern
    The Origin and Meaning of Adinkra Symbols
  • Low Angle View Of Statue Against Blue Sky
    The Symbolism Behind the Double Crown of Egypt
  • Black and white photo of an anti-racism sign.
    South Africa's Apartheid Era Population Registration Act
  • Nelson Mandela
    South Africa's National Holidays
  • Soweto Uprising
    The Afrikaans Medium Decree
  • Headquarters of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), Lome, Togo
    What is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)?
  • Sign indicating "White Area" during Apartheid.
    Grand Apartheid in South Africa
  • White area sign
    Apartheid Era Signs - Racial Segregation in South Africa
  • black hands bound in heavy, rusty chains
    Types of Enslavement in Africa and the World Today
  • South Africa, aerial view of Cape Town
    The History of the Formation of South Africa
  • man walks with camel in desert
    The History and Origins of the Kingdom of Kush
  • Albertina Sisulu
    Biography of Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu, South African Activist
  • A Portrait of Seretse Khama, January 1970 © Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
    Seretse Khama Quotes
  • Pyramid and Sphinx in Egypt under a blue sky.
    The Story of Menes, the First Pharaoh of Egypt
  • Map and flag of Liberia
    A Brief History of the African Country of Liberia
  • US Capitol and blue sky
    The Definition and Purpose of Political Institutions
    • More In: History & Culture
    View more