The following are short descriptions of the major places which have contributed to the shaping of Global African history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
Benin, a pre-colonial kingdom in what is now southwestern Nigeria, is believed to have been established before the eleventh century. It was founded by Edo-speaking peoples, but became more ethnically diverse when invaders from the grasslands of the Sudan settled and intermarried with local women. Based … Read MoreKingdom of Benin
Oyo, a pre-colonial kingdom in present-day Nigeria, was founded in the 1300s. Established by Oranmiyan of the Yoruba people of West Africa, Oyo quickly grew to become one of the most powerful states in the Yoruba-speaking region. From its capital city at Oyo-Ile, this weak … Read MoreKingdom of Oyo (ca. 1500-1837)
Buganda, the largest of the medieval kingdoms in present-day Uganda, became an important and powerful state during the 19th century. Established in the late 14th century along the shore of Lake Victoria, it evolved around its founding kabaka (king) Kintu, who came to the region … Read MoreBuganda (ca. 1375-1900)
In comparison to many countries that have ancient histories spanning over thousands of years, Belize (a small country right below Mexico‘s Yucatan Peninsula) is a relatively young nation whose history spans only about 370 years. The indigenous Mayan population, however, has resided in Central America … Read MoreThe History of Belize
Gorée Island, located two miles from the Senegalese capital, Dakar, was a critical trading port for Europeans and played a major role as an entrepot for slaves taken from West Africa. Long before being conquered by the Europeans, the island was called Bezeriche Island or … Read MoreGorée Island, Senegal (ca. 1000- )
The Four Communes of Senegal in French West Africa, Gorée, Dakar, Rufisque, and Saint-Louis, were the only places during the African Colonial period, where African inhabitants were granted the same rights as French Citizens. As early as 1840, the importance of Gorée Island and Saint-Louis … Read MoreFour Communes of Senegal (1887-1960)
Sierra Leone’s founding dates back to 1787 when several waves of freed black settlers originating from England, Nova Scotia, and Jamaica all arrived in the area. Utilizing some English government funding, The Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor, an abolitionist group which included … Read MoreFounding of Sierra Leone, 1787
Now known as an upscale tourist destination, few people realize that Saltspring Island, British Columbia was seen as a land of freedom and of opportunity for many blacks in the mid-19th Century. It was a new frontier where blacks were granted rights by the British … Read MoreSaltspring Island, British Columbia
Initiated in the early 20th century by Los Angeles attorney Hugh Macbeth and the Lower California Mexican Land and Development Company, the Baja California settlement known as “Little Liberia” was envisioned as a racially-exclusive community through which African Americans would have the opportunity for vocational, … Read MoreLittle Liberia, Baja California, 1919
The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a large African state which existed from the 9th century through the end of the 19th century and which spanned a region which today includes the modern-day countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The empire was founded by the Zaghawa … Read MoreEmpire of Kanem-Bornu (ca. 9th century-1900)
