Background & Context
The Oxford research encyclopedia. African history offers numerous articles reviewing specialized topics. Each article has sections on Discussion of the Literature and on Primary Sources, together with a Further Reading bibliography and footnotes.
The Cambridge history of Africa, ed. by J.D. Fage and Roland Oliver. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1975-1986. 8 v. HOLLIS Record with Online Version
-- v. 1. From the earliest times to c. 500 B.C
-- v. 2. From c. 500 B.C. to A.D. 1050
-- v. 3. From c. 1050 to c. 1600
-- v. 4. From c. 1600 to c. 1790
-- v. 5. From 1790 to 1870
-- v. 6. From 1870 to 1905
-- v. 7. From 1905 to 1940
-- v. 8. From 1940 to 1975
-- Each volume has a bibliographical essay and bibliography
UNESCO general history of Africa. London: Heinemann Educational Books; Berkele : University of California Press, 1981-1993., 8 v.
-- v. 1. Methodology and African prehistory
-- v. 2. Ancient civilizations of Africa
-- v. 3. Africa from the seventh to the eleventh century
-- v. 4. Africa from the twelfth to the sixteenth century
-- v. 5. Africa from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century
-- v. 6. Africa in the nineteenth century until the 1880s
-- v.7. Africa under foreign domination 1880-1935
-- v.8. Africa since 1935.
HOLLIS Record
Encyclopedia of Western colonialism since 1450, ed. by Thomas Benjamin. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 3 v.
HOLLIS Record
Available online, temporary HathiTrust access. See Working Off Campus page
African history: a very short introduction. By John Parker and Richard Rathbone. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
HOLLIS record (available online)
- includes a chapter on colonialism
Library of Congress Country Studies Collection: the books in this collection offer an overview of the history and politics of selected countries, including pre-colonial history (choose Collection items to see countries included in collection).
Africa: a guide to reference material, by John McIlwaine. 2nd ed. Lochcarron, Scotland : Hans Zell, 2007, 608 p.
HOLLIS Record
--Lists general biographical sources (including sources on colonial history) and numerous sources by region and country. Lists government and colonial yearbooks and other publications. Post-1938 material only. Pre-1938 publications are listed in the 1st ed.
Africa : a guide to reference material, by John McIlwaine. London ; New York : Hans Zell Publishers, 1993, 507 p.
HOLLIS Record
Africa contemporary record, annual survey and documents, 1968- . London; NY: Africana Pub. Co.
HathiTrust Full Text (1968-2000)
Africa Yearbook (2004- ) covers domestic politics, foreign policy and socio-economic trends in sub-Sahara Africa.
The Stateman's Yearbook (1964-Present) contains background information on all countries of the world, including political, cultural, and economic information. It also includes information on major international organizations.
World Factbook is produced annually by the Central Intelligence Agency and provides brief surveys of the economic, geographic, and political conditions of numerous countries. Older editions (1981-2013).
World constitutions illustrated: contemporary & historical documents & resources (Heinonline)
Choose your country.
- Opening Constitutions and Fundamental Laws yields historical legal sources
- Opening Commentaries & Other Relevant Sources yields a variety of historical works, country-level reference books, guides to government publications and other material.
A variety of serial publications offer overviews of political and social conditions (politics, economics, organizations, press, etc.) and current events for countries worldwide. A list is available.
There are more biographical sources listed on the Additional Biographical Sources page.
World Biographical Information System includes full text of thousands of biographical dictionaries accessible by name of biographee. Largely online full text.
Dictionary of African biography, ed. by Emmanuel K. Akyeampong and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Oxford; NY: Oxford University Press, 2012, 6 v. HOLLIS Record
Widener RR 3970.35.15 (Loker Reading Room, East end, Widener 2nd floor)
Online Version. Choose Africa and Diaspora Studies; open Search, choose Biography search
An African biographical dictionary, by Norbert Brockman. Denver, Colo. : ABC-CLIO, 2006. 667 p.
HOLLIS Record Widener RR 3970.35.10
Includes 713 individuals emphasizing postcolonial era, including living persons. Some 19th century figures and non-Africans active in Africa are included. A few portraits. Entries keyed to list of 42 other reference works; some entries have additional sources. More cultural, religious, and professional in the 2nd ed. Appendixes list biographees by nation and area of activity. Africa since Independence: Nations and Major Leaders lists political figures by country. General index includes alternate names and spellings. Six terminal maps show countries, colonial possessions, natural resources, religions, slave routes, and major states circa 1885.
Political leaders of contemporary Africa south of the Sahara : a biographical dictionary, ed. by Harvey Glickman. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1992, 361 p. HOLLIS record
Political leaders in Black Africa : a biographical dictionary of the major politicians since independence, by John A. Wiseman. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt., USA : E. Elgar, 1991. xxiii, 248 p.
HOLLIS record Widener | RR 1670.14
Dictionary of African Christian Biography
African biography on the Internet is an annotated list including several specialized online biographical resources.