Introduction To African Civilizations

Embark on a captivating journey through the rich tapestry of African history with John G. Jackson's groundbreaking work, Introduction to African Civilizations. This comprehensive volume explores the magnificent civilizations that flourished on the African continent long before the advent of European colonization. From the awe-inspiring pyramids of ancient Egypt to the sophisticated city-states of West Africa, Jackson's meticulously researched and elegantly written book unveils the untold stories of Africa's glorious past. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for truth, Jackson challenges long-held misconceptions and sheds light on the remarkable achievements of African peoples, making this book an essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of world history.

Introduction to the History of African Civilization explores the major issues dominating African Civilization from the earliest recorded period to the eve of colonial conquest of the continent. C. Magbaily Fyle begins with a discussion of the myths and prejudices underlying most analyses of African issues, and moves into a discussion of the origin of humanity; the similarities between the classical Nile valley civilizations of Egypt, Nubia, Kush, and Axum; and the spread of Islam through African societies. He portrays the systems of precolonial government and society, including the role of women in governance, as well as traditional trade and agricultural patterns. Fyle provides a new perspective on the Islamic Jihads, shifting focus from Sokoto and Macina to the Senegambia and the Upper Guinea region, and a revised interpretation of the Atlantic slave trade, which includes the importance of African objectors to this process. He also discusses important cultural features such as the traditional African food, architecture, and typical structures of towns.

This edition of African Civilizations, first published in 2001, re-examines the physical evidence for developing social complexity in tropical Africa.

First published in 1954, a time when few books on African history were written from an African perspective. An intimate history of Africa and its ancient civilizations, the book opposed the stereotyped and often racist histories of Africa. Today, a half century after its initial publication, African Glory still provides a vivid and dynamic connection to the African past.

The book is an affirmation of education and an espousal of cooperative democracy as a way of life for the new Africa. It contains as well a report on social studies of African life. It also expounds on the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of African life and its prospects for the future. Amidst the current debates concerning multiculturalism and political correctness, this publication moves the discussion beyond the vagueness of ethnicity to the reality of African empowerment.

The first edition of this book provided teachers of African history, for the first time, with fully annotated translations of the most important Greek and Roman sources for the history of these two remarkable ancient African civilizations. The new edition retains all of the features that made the first edition so successful while significantly expanding the coverage of the history of Kush and Axum. The illustration program has been revised, new translations have been added including recently discovered Nubian and Axumite royal documents, and a new chapter treats the origins of the kingdom of Kush and its relations with Egypt and Persia.

With brilliantly objective scholarship, respected historian and author John G. Jackson reexamines the outdated, racist, and Westernized history of Africa that is still taught in schools, and presents one infinitely more rich, colorful, varied-and truthful. Challenging the standard dehumanizing and exploitive approaches to African history, from the dawn of prehistory to the resurgent Africa of today--including the portrayal of Africans as "savages" who ultimately benefitted from European enslavement with its "blessings of Christian civilization"-Jackson confronts the parochial historian, devastates the theoretical pretensions of white supremacists, and expands intellectual horizons. Accessible and informed, fascinating and candid, Introduction to African Civilizations is an important historical guide that will enhance antiracist teachings for the general reader and the scholar alike. Introduction by John Henrik Clarke, pioneer of African Studies and author of Christopher Columbus and the African Holocaust