Research Guides: African History: Getting Started

Getting Started

Before you write your paper, it is wise to get the background of the issue, event, or person. Reading background essays also helps you to hone in on your scholarly research. If the information you find is not sufficient, check out Library Search to see if there is a book on the subject.

Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
Includes the series The Cambridge History of Africa, The Cambridge History of South Africa, and The Cambridge History of Egypt
Europa World Plus This link opens in a new window
Search by country for up-to-date demographic and political information. Some countries also include a historical essay as well.
Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new window
Includes New Encyclopedia of Africa (2nd ed), and Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa

Encyclopedia of African History and Culture. (Ref 960.03 P146) New York: Facts on File, 2001.

Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History. (Ref 960.03 Z37) London: Routledge, 2003.

New Atlas of African History. (Ref 911.6 F877) New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.

Oxford Research Encyclopedias: African History - Scholarly essays on a broad variety of topics-- browse the index for ideas.