What's Wrong with Africa?

Article by Katie Crone-Barber. Edited by Liam Geoghegan. Additional Research by Ellie Veryard. 

Or, more correctly, why don’t people care about Africa’s history? I was somewhat disheartened when I searched through the University bookshop to discover only one, not very academic, book on African history. Why is it that there are shelves and shelves stacked with Soviet history, books on every aspect of the Second World War, the Spanish Civil War, the Tudors even, but for me there is only A Very Short Introduction to African History? 

I have two theories about why the Dark Continent has stayed in the shadows. The one theory that really seems to stick is a sense of guilt. It is incredibly difficult to separate the Image of the British Empire from the pain and suffering inflicted upon millions of innocent individuals. The horror stories of the Congo Free State have come to characterise our understanding of Africa as a whole. In 1885, the Congo Free State came under the personal control of King Leopold II of Belgium. It became his private playground, and without the threat of governmental interference, his treatment of Congolese civilians was truly shocking. This suffering, felt across Africa, is the fault of our ancestors, for in living memory our families went there and did that. So, the burden of history now falls on us, and do we really need to repeat these shameful episodes? Well, I did, and trust me, African history is not as simple as that. It is rich and complex, with Africans taking as many central roles as European explorers and colonialists. The period of Decolonisation after the Second World War is a testimony to the power of mass movements, the enduring strength of subject peoples. The works of Kwame Nkrumah and Frantz Fanon are as powerful today as they were then, and I would encourage anyone with an interest in social history to take a closer look at decolonisation literature. Martin Meredith’s The State of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence (incidentally one of the few books on Africa you will find in a high street bookshop) argues that the state of Africa is not entirely “our” fault. The independence with which African leaders act, and the decisions they make are their own. Our guilt, it seems, is misplaced. Meredith’s book may fail the standards of an academic, but it is a wonderful introduction to the complexity and the beauty of African history. 

The other response to my question of why African history isn’t more popular is simply that Africa is on the periphery, and therefore so is its history. We are surrounded by the symbols of World Wars, and the influence of European history on our everyday lives is hard to deny. In comparison, Africa is far removed. With so few personal connections and few connections in general, it is perhaps unsurprising that people are somewhat apathetic. What we do see of Africa in the news is rarely encouraging: civil wars, famine and poverty are a perpetual blight on the continent. If this is all there is now, then common perceptions of Imperialism seem validated. What purpose could there be in studying victims of racism and circumstance? Again, I would argue that this is not entirely true. Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish journalist, wrote about African affairs for almost four decades. In The Shadow of the Sun, the memoirs of his time there, portrays Africa in a refreshing light. 

Although not technically a history book, it provides an insight rarely given by professional historians into the daily lives of Africans from every walk of life. He shows that while there is rampant poverty, there is also culture and pride and strength in these peoples. The humanity he describes is not so different from our own, and you will find yourself connecting with these people, willing them on and hoping for the best. 

Indeed, even studying African history is challenging due to its distance, both geographical and cultural. It is not as easy to reach the archives in Accra or Dar-es-Salaam as those in London or Paris. And even if you do manage to make that journey, many African states do not keep up to date archives, if they keep them at all. Finding the evidence is tricky. On top of that, it takes a brave soul to travel to places like Somalia or the Democratic Republic of Congo, two war-torn states among many. When I told my parents I wanted to study African history, my mother asked me what was wrong with Europe, suggesting that it was a safer alternative. 

Of course I am somewhat biased. I love African history. It is like an untapped resource, just waiting for someone to notice it, and bring it into line with European and American history. How can we explain international history, and arguably our own, without recognising that Africa and imperialism are a part of that? And not a passive part either. But without more attention, more academic interest, it is not too surprising that there is a lack of popular interest as well. Ihave mentioned only two books, and in truth, these are (for me) the only two books you are likely to find easily and enjoy reading. If more work like this was available, I genuinely believe that African history would be more appealing. 

So let’s stop shying away from African history, and in this age of “globalisation” get to know our neighbours. African history deserves more attention, deserves a place alongside European or American history, deserves to be heard. Let’s start paying some attention!

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