I went to the library and used the search engine through the upper level computer (right near the top of the stairs) in order to find books about African history. I ended up choosing a book titled History of Africa by Kevin Shillington because of the brightly colored cover and use of pictures. The book covers many topics including Ancient Egypt, the Iron Age, Bantu migrations, the end of the slave trade in the nineteenth century, the creation of states such as Sierra Leone and Senegal, the Maji Maji Rebellion, and the Second World War in Africa.  The book also contains maps showing the spread of iron forging, land occupied by different states, and mass migrations like the Bantus. A History of Africa includes a lot of cultural aspects of African history, including the growth of Christianity and Islam in certain regions. Lastly, the book also discusses complex topics such as the economic impact of colonial rule. For example, in Kenya there was a system called “Kipande” where Kenyans were removed from most of the fertile land only to be allowed back if they worked as tenants.

Most of the books near History of Africa were modern African history. One book is very tiny and was titled A Brief History of Africa, which can be great as a quick and informative read about a large and very diverse continent with a long history.

Shillington, Kevin. History of Africa. New York: St. Martin’s, 1989. Print.