Explore African history, from ancient kingdoms and empires to colonialism, independence movements, influential leaders, and major events that shaped the continent.
In the early 19th century, southern Africa experienced a period of major political and social transformation. Among the most important developments was the rise of the Zulu Kingdom, which grew from a relatively small chiefdom into one of the most powerful states in the region. At the centre of this transformation was Shaka kaSenzangakhona, better…
For decades, South Africa was divided by one of the most oppressive systems of racial discrimination in modern history. Known as apartheid, the system denied the Black majority basic political, social and economic rights while giving power to the white minority. At the centre of the long struggle against apartheid was Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a…
Long before the rise of many of Africa’s modern nations, a powerful civilization flourished along the Nile River in northeastern Africa. Known as the Kingdom of Kush, it became one of the most influential kingdoms of the ancient Nile Valley. Kush developed a powerful economy, controlled important trade routes, built impressive cities and monuments, and…
Mansa Musa, the 14th-century ruler of the Mali Empire, is widely regarded as one of the wealthiest people in history. His enormous wealth came from Mali’s control of some of West Africa’s richest gold-producing regions, as well as its position along major trans-Saharan trade routes. But Mansa Musa’s story is about much more than wealth….