The history of early Africa is expansive, encompassing several millennia and several thousands of square miles. It entails the peopling of a continent, the rise of centralized kingdoms and long-distance trade networks, technological innovation, the birth of diverse cultural forms and social identities, violent confrontations, and creative ideas about what it means to live together. It is also a difficult history to access as most African civilizations before the 19th century prioritized unwritten forms of communication. This class presents several important episodes in the long history of early African civilization and introduces students to the ways historians of the distant past think about and use various forms of evidence including language, material culture, oral traditions, and folklore.

Course Requirements:

Exams, collaborative work

Intended Audience:

Anyone interested in the history of modern Africa is welcome, majors and non-majors

Class Format:

Lecture