Customer Reviews

Africans and Their History: Second Revised Edition

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Africans and Their History is a great start and a great reference tool in the study of African history. From the early beginnings, the author depicts the people, culture, religions, conflicts, and much more. In chronological order, he presents a study of an African people from early to present times. A great comprehensive start for anyone looking to explore true history.

very comprehensive, lots of information aboutarious aspects of african history. however, knowing very little about afrcan history before reading this book, i got very confused. information overload! i felt like a bunch of facts were being thrown at me. would be a great book for people who already have anidea about african history but not beginners.

This is a fine primer for anyone wanting an introduction to African History. Perforce just a broad brush view because of the breadth and depth of the full subject, this is a very fine book. It will whet your appetite for more!

Joseph E. Harris is a Howard University Distinguished Professor of History emeritus, and Director of the South African Research and Archival Project. He is also the author of books such as Africans and Their History: Second Revised Edition and Global Dimensions of the African Diaspora.

He writes in the Preface to this book (I'm citing the 1987 Revised edition), "That development (of independent African nations) underscored the ignorance of non-Africans about Africans, and among the results of this realization has been the emrgence of numerous courses and programs of African studies on various educational levels throughout the world, with an increasing demand for materials to train specialists and to inform the general public. The special implications of these occurrences for black people are obvious: the affirmation of an identity, a source of pride and fulfillment, and the substance and perspectives necessary for a liberating movement. This book attempts to contribute to these several needs."

Here are some quotations from the book:

"(Herodotus) sowed seeds of racial prejudice that shaped black-white images for centuries to come. He frequently referred to Africans as 'barbarians,' and characterized the people of Libya by saying, 'Their speech resembles the shrieking of a Bat rather than the language of Men.'" (Pg. 15)
"The image of Africans as inferiors was reinforced further by arguments of several Christian missionaries, ministers, and others who explained that an African was better off a slave in a Christian society than free in 'African savagery.'" (Pg. 17)
"The precise ethnic identity of the original inhabitants of the eastern coast is unknown, but it is generally agreed that they were probably hunters and gatherers of food." (Pg. 67)
"(T)he Portugese and other Europeans preferred not to kidnap Africans, but instead successfully encouraged African merchants, kings, and others to provide supplies of slaves." (Pg. 83)
"Disillusioned and frustrated in the slave societies but confident in their ability to develop their communities, diaspora Africans also formed institutions to express their collective identity and aspirations." (Pg. 97)
"This was no even match. Africans were in the process of building states and nations to meet the needs of their societies when the European instrusion came. Africans lacked comparable technology and broad experience in international affairs." (Pg. 169)
"Of all these cases of African resistance and rebellion against European aggression in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries ... only the Ethiopians, with their unity and developing technology, were able successfully to forestall their adversaries, the Italians." (Pg. 184)
"With an unquestioned belief in their own self-righteousness and the depravity of Africans, missionaries were determined to change indigenous institutions and behavior and thus saw themselves as Christian agents of civilization." (Pg. 202)