Precolonial Black Africa

by Cheikh Anta Diop

Book Overview

This comparison of the political and social systems of Europe and black Africa from antiquity to the formation of modern states demonstrates the black contribution to the development of Western civilization.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556520883
• ISBN13: 9781556520884
• Release Date: August 1988
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Amazing introduction to real African history without the stain of foreign bigotry

Diop is and will probably remain for a long time to come the single greatest scholar of the African continent. The beauty about this book is that it flows you through time and allow you to reach a better understanding of your own self as an African. As a young Cameroonian, I have always wondered about certain facts unique to most Africans and up to recently, I was not able to connect the dots with our past. Diop analysis of history enables me to get a deeper understanding of the status of the individual, the symbols of the daily life and the metaphysical meaning of every social activity. His work should and has certainly sprung a lot of followers who have gone further into their culture to reap a better appreciation of their civilization. What is more important though is the fact that African are probably the only people who can claim an unique "sense of unity" based upon their common cultural and linguistic foundation in the Nile Valley and surrounding areas. This important and unique origin should be heralded in an environment of constant warfare and political division within the continent. A real appreciation of African history should allow the current States to rise above petty division but rather usher a new era of common economic and social development for the individual, the woman and the child in particular. The moment the African regain his own pride and consciousness, the moment he will cease to bow down to foreign imperialism and truly fight for the future of his Nation.

A scholars research, not a political movement

To all who give this book a negative response, you fail to present your disagreement when you do not provide any counter-facts that will oppose the information in this book. So, in short, if the TRUTH hurts go cry some where else.

Amazing!!

Cheikh Anta Diop is amazing. I have read ALL his books, and as always, this one is excellent. In "Pre-Colonial Black Africa", (unlike all his other books) he takes a small step out of Ancient Egypt and explores more of his own home region (West Africa). His work is prolific and clearly exposes the fact that West African history can be accurately traced thousands of years, thanks to all the myriad historical texts already at our disposal ("Tarikh-as-Sudan", "Tarikh-as-Fettash", etc). Senegal should be extremely proud of producing such a quality scholar like Diop! I would like to see his works translated to other languages (African, especially). It is important that Africans read their history from an objective (and native!) viewpoint. I would give the book more than 5 stars if it was possible. I have to add that it's a lot easier to comprehend and appreciate for an African-born/raised person. Diop (as always) shined on this one!

VERY SCHOLARLY AND INFORMATIVE

CHEIKH ANTA DIOP WAS A GENIUS AND HIS WORK WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON, AND FOR THOSE OF USM ESPECIALLY OF AFRICAN DECENT WHO WANT TO KNOW THE TRUE HISTORY OF AFRICA BEFORE SLAVERY HIS WORK IS OF MONUMENTAL IMPORTANCE. HE GOES THROUGH THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT WEST AFRICAN EMPIRES OF GHANA, MALI, SONGHAI, BUT THERE WERE MANY OTHERS AS WELL. HE USE MAINLY AFRICAN SOURCES SUCH AS TARIKH ES SUDAN, AL UMARIYYAH AND OTHERS. THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT, AND IT WILL BE READ BY GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE STILL TO COME.

This book is scholastically revolutionary.

This book juxtaposes medieval West African societies with their European counterparts. Diop utilizes primary souces (e.g., "Tarikh-as-Sudan" and "Tarikh-al-Fettash") to illustrate the fundamental components of medieval West African civilization and political organization. Aspects of African culture that are generally regarded as "non-African" are discussed, such as the existence of indigenous African scripts, the use of armor in African military regiments, in-depth university curricula, and even the possiblity of pre-Columbian navigation to America. This book is a must read for student of precolonial West African history.