Most objective books on African History. Any Recommendations?

[Dr. Acula]

Can anyone help me with some suggestions?

The only reason I'm making this topic because I'm having a hell of a time trying to find a book on amazon that is not either about modern liberal white pet issues in Africa (Darfur, poverty, etc) or the information just by the title is framed around modern racial dynamics and politics. I keep getting results for books that nature of the title itself is politically loaded that I'm skeptical I'm going to get the most unbiased information about individual societies like say the Mali, Ghana,Songhai, etc.

Particularly I'm looking for books that are objective, well sourced/cited, information on the history of any African nations pre-colonialism.

 

[KOohbt]

UNESCO General History of Africa

my fav The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams

The African Origins of Civilization by Cheikh Anti Diop

to start

also the info is peer reviewed so no excuses not to read these books

 

[ATownD19]

 

[Samori Toure]

Believe it or not this dude wrote some pretty fair books on Africa in history.

His name is Basil Davidson. He is an Englishman and a British historian that after WWII became a historian on Africa and African Civilizations. I thought that his stuff was pretty well sourced, but it is not super flashy.



The Black Man's Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation-State
http://www.goodreads.com/work/editi...rden-africa-and-the-curse-of-the-nation-state

Africa in History

The Lost Cities of Africa

The African Slave Trade

Modern Africa: A Social and Political History

West Africa Before the Colonial Era: A History to 1850

A History of West Africa, 1000-1800: New Ed.

African Kingdoms

The African Genius

 

[Bawon Samedi]

If you want "objective" then stay away from anything by Clyde Winters. I would recommended "When We Ruled" by Robin Walkers.

Good book, but dated...

 

[Losttribe]

Nile valley contributions to civilization

By Anthony browder

 

[Dr. Acula]

Thanks for the recommendations. Will check some of them out.

By the way, didn't mean to give the impression I'm looking for a textbook style book, as several books are still able to be pretty objective in presenting information in a very readable form.

 

[J-Nice]

@Chicken Pot Pie

Start off small with the likes of John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Cheik Anta Diop, Frank Snowden, J.A Rogers, and Carter G Woodson. Even though a portion of the info from these great scholars might be a little outdated to due to new discoveries and the changing of the times, they'll give you a great foundation on which to branch off into other subjects. On Top of that Basil Davidson is good, the UNESCO series on Africa is good, and so is the Image of the Black in Western art series. I don't know your financial situation, but some of these books can be a little pricey.

Here are some basic ones that I started out with:

 

[J-Nice]

Believe it or not this dude wrote some pretty fair books on Africa in history.

His name is Basil Davidson. He is an Englishman and a British historian that after WWII became a historian on Africa and African Civilizations. I thought that his stuff was pretty well sourced, but it is not super flashy.



The Black Man's Burden: Africa and the Curse of the Nation-State

Africa in History

The Lost Cities of Africa

The African Slave Trade

Modern Africa: A Social and Political History

West Africa Before the Colonial Era: A History to 1850

A History of West Africa, 1000-1800: New Ed.

African Kingdoms

The African Genius

Love Basil Davidson. I have all of his books. Pair him with Unesco and you have a great comprehensive education on Africa. Another great author is Chris Ehret. He has some great linguistic books out stating his position on changing the Afro-asiatic name to Afrisan and possibly just African. Check him out when you get a chance. Here are some of his books:

 

[Hiphoplives4eva]

If you want "objective" then stay away from anything by Clyde Winters. I would recommended "When We Ruled" by Robin Walkers.




Good book, but dated...

The historical truth is never dated.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

The historical truth is never dated.

Read @J-Nice first post...

 

[Dr. Acula]

@Chicken Pot Pie

Start off small with the likes of John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Cheik Anta Diop, Frank Snowden, J.A Rogers, and Carter G Woodson. Even though a portion of the info from these great scholars might be a little outdated to due to new discoveries and the changing of the times, they'll give you a great foundation on which to branch off into other subjects. On Top of that Basil Davidson is good, the UNESCO series on Africa is good, and so is the Image of the Black in Western art series. I don't know your financial situation, but some of these books can be a little pricey.

Here are some basic ones that I started out with:

props. This is more in the line of what I'm looking for. Appreciate it. Looking for that African 1491

 

[Blackqueergenius]

beware henry gates is a certified c00n

 

[J-Nice]

props. This is more in the line of what I'm looking for. Appreciate it. Looking for that African 1491

Glad I could help.

 

[EndDomination]

Alongside UNESCO's A General History of Africa set, which is easily the best resource for a truly full history; Martin Meredith's The Fortunes of Africa: A 5,000-Year History, and The State of Africa are pretty good - mind you he's a white British historian so there are a lot of shortcomings in his analysis and he's covering a lot of ground; Cheikh Diop's Precolonial Black Africa: a comparative study of the political and social systems of Europe and Black Africa, from antiquity to the formation of modern states (long ass name); and Chancellor Williams The Destruction of the Black Civilization