BBC
Bbc: The Story of Africa: Central African Kingdoms
A brief article regarding Africa's rich central kingdoms.
PBS
Pbs: Africans in America: Part 3: Impact of the Cotton Gin
An African American associate professor of history at Cornell discusses the impact of the cotton gin on slavery.
Other
Online Expeditions: African Adventure
Use this site to explore several regions of Africa, without having to leave the classroom.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Africa Art: Ancient West African City of Benin
A photographic exhibit of art objects from Benin from the period of 1300 to 1897 C.E. Extensive commentary is given for each object. Requires Adobe Reader. [PDF]
BBC
Bbc: The Story of Africa West African Kingdoms
The story of the Songhay Empire is discussed on this website. From its origins, to its expansion under the rule of Sonni Ali the Great, to its height in power under Mohammed Ture, and finally to the collapse of the empire - it is all...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Kingdom of Ife: Sculptures From West Africa
Ife ( pronounced ee-feh) is today regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people living in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and their many descendants around the world. It is rightly regarded as the birthplace of some of the...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Kongo, Making of African American Identity: V. 1
Eight watercolor drawings and an accompanying narrative from an Italian Catholic missionary about the peoples in the Kingdom of Kongo (present-day Angola).
PBS
Pbs: Wonders of the African World
A site from PBS allows the student to discover Africa through pictures and stories. Explore Black Kingdoms of the Nile, The Swahili Coast, The Slave Kingdoms, The Holy Land, The Road to Timbuktu, Lost Cities of the South. The site also...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: West African Society at the Point of European Contact
Prior to European contact, western Africa's powerful kingdoms supported the arts, technology, and thriving economies. Read about the areas from which slaves were transported before the transatlantic trade began.
Library of Congress
Loc: Ancient Manuscripts: From the Desert Libraries of Timbuktu
This is a collection of primary, historical documents from Timbuktu, Mali during the the 16th through 18th century. The documents cover all aspects of this advanced African civilization.
Understanding Slavery Initiative
Understanding Slavery Initiative: Africa Before Transatlantic Enslavement
The history of West Africa provides a context for learning about the transatlantic slave trade. Discover the rich cultural traditions and economic networks that existed in the West African empires such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhay long...
BBC
Bbc World Service:the Story of Africa
The history of Africa is documented from earliest times to the present. The menu bar divides it into time periods which then divide into sub-topics; also included is a visual timeline.
Read Works
Read Works: Mali & African Empires the Legend of Sundiata
[Free Registration/Login Required] The legend of how Sundiata became the leader of the Mali people. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Mali & African Empires the Mali Empire
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Mali Empire of Western Sudan. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Dahomey
Extremely brief Britannica.com article about Dahomey, a kingdom in western Africa the flourished because of the slave trade.
Digital History
Digital History: The Black Man's African Past [Pdf]
Read the narrative of Oladuah Equiano (or Gustavas Vassa) who described the culture of Benin as he was growing up in mid-18th century. On this site there is also a brief, general history of Africa at this time. [pdf]
PBS
Nova Online: The Lost Tribes of Israel
This site provides an exploration of what may have happened to the "Lost tribes of Israel," including a modern scholar's study of a southern African tribe with possible ties to the lost tribes.
Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of Religion Data Archives: National Profiles: Saint Helena
Learn about religion in the West African island territory of Britain, Saint Helena, in this Association of Religion Data Archives country profile; includes general facts, history, and religious data.
Black Past
Black Past: Prosser, Gabriel
This interesting encyclopedia entry is about Gabriel Prosser, a slave, who planned a huge revolt to take over Richmond, Virginia and make a "Kingdom of Virginia." There is a link to a PBS website for more information.
Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago: Benin: Kings and Rituals: Court Arts From Nigeria
Learn about the history of the royal art of the Benin Kingdom in Africa. An overview of the art is provided and with further explanation given according to themes. View maps and selected works of art. A video, charts, glossary, and a...
Other
Budding Foreign Influences
Buganda--or Uganda as it is now known--was a formidable African kingdom in the 19th century as described in this history.
Other
The Salmons: Timbuktu
This site provides information on the legendary city of Timbuktu in the West African Mali Empire.
PBS
Pbs: The Swahili People
This is a site from the PBS series "Wonders of the African World." This brief but detailed article gives information about the origins and history of the Swahili people.
Travel Document Systems
Tds: Benin: History
A brief discussion of Benin's early history. A majority of the information is on its recent history since 1972, including the most recent elections in 2007. Information is from the U.S. State Dept. Background Notes.
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