The Kingdom of Kongo 1390–1857
The Kongo kingdom is one of the kingdoms that flourished in the 1300s (14th century). We touch on the history of countries such as Angola and the Democratic Republic of…
History of Black music: How did we come to call that unique genre Jazz?
The artistic inventions of people who have been held in subservience to a supposed master-race for about half a millennium are constantly under question and that should surprise neither students…
Africa ruled the World for 15,000 years & civilized mankind
In ancient times, the Oracle of Amon at Siwah was the most celebrated, and Heliopolis, Memphis, and Thebes, were representatives of the best of Egyptian civilization and culture. Thebes, a…
Ubang: The African community where men and women speak different languages
Generally speaking, the difference between a man and a woman around the world is their gender, but it’s more than that in Ubang, a rural community in southern Nigeria. Men…
How the 36 states of Nigeria got their names
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and where one can find more Black people than in any other country on the planet, has a uniquely complicated colonial history. Archaeological findings pieced together show…
How Libya came to have its name
After the overthrow of the enigmatic Muammar al-Gaddafi nearly ten whole years ago, Libya has fallen off the cusp of self-determination that many countries, African and otherwise envied. What has played out…
How Malawi came to have its name
The southeastern African country of Malawi did not become independent from British colonial rule until July 6, 1964, when the territory formerly known as Nyasaland became a republic in1966 under the presidency of Hastings…
The rise and origin of Ovambo People
The Ovambo people are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, mainly present Namibia. They are the largest known ethnic group in Namibia, accounting to about half of the…
Taytu Betul, Empress of the Ethiopian Empire Who Founded Addis Ababa
Betul Taytu c. 1851 to 11 February 1918), reigning from 1889 to 1913, was the Empress of the Ethiopian Empire. She was the third wife of Ethiopia’s Emperor Menelik II…
The Rise of Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, also called the Zulu Empire, was a Southern African state in what is now South Africa. During and after the Anglo-Zulu War, the small kingdom gained world…
Mauritania: Oldest “Large Stone Village”?
Archeologists have discovered “large stone villages” in the Tichitt-Walata Region of Mauritania dating from 1100 BC. The villages consisted of approximately circular interlinked streets. Dhar Tichitt is in the southwestern…
Africans cultivated crops 12,000 years ago, the first known advances in agriculture
The discovery by Professor Fred Wendorf of barley, capers, chickpeas, dates, legumes and wheat cultivated in the west of Egypt. Old African tools have also been recovered. Grindstones, cooking stones…
5 African civilizations that were as awesome as ancient Egypt
This was first discovered in 1928 when some unique terracotta artefacts were unearthed by tin miners in the southern part of Kaduna state in central Nigeria. Further research into the…
The Hamar, untouched tribe from “never colonized” country, Ethiopia
No European power ever colonized Ethiopia. The country of Ethiopia is the oldest sovereign state in Africa, and one of two African countries that avoided colonial rule. Cultures of The Hamar…
How Sierra Leone came to have its name
Sierra Leone has the unique history of being the only former British colony in Africa that was actually founded in tune with the British settling emancipated Blacks in the UK…
A look at Namibia’s iconic Skeleton Coast with the remains of over 500 ships
Situated on Namibia’s remote western coastline is the haunting Skeleton Coast. It derives its name from the animal bones scattered across its endless strands and the hundreds of ships that…
The ancient name for Africa was “Alkebulan” meaning “mother of mankind”
The name Africa is a phenomenon. Home to 1.216 billion people, the world’s second-largest population and 2nd largest continent after Asia. Africa is a renowned name that has traveled way…
Thebes, Egypt was once the largest city in the world in about 1500 BC
At the height of Ancient Egypt, its bustling capital was Thebes, 419 miles south of Cairo where the modern settlement of Luxor now stands. Known to the Egyptians as Wase…
African women’s hairstyles played significant role in the Ancient Africa
Hair has played an important role in the history of ancient African lifeforms. Their family, social class, beliefs, tribe, and marital status symbolized their context. Various tribes used hair as…
The Great Kingdom of Zimbabwe [1220 to 1450]
The Kingdom of Zimbabwe which is best remembered for Great Zimbabwe was one of the great African Empires. The kingdom existed from 1220 to 1450. The region of Zimbabwe was…