It's a Continent: Unravelling Africa's History One Country at a Time

'. . . we need this book. Of course Africa needs it as well, because no other huge area of the planet is treated as such a singular region, and that has to change. But the rest of the planet needs It's a Continent because we miss out by not recognising the individual majesty, the complexity, the beauty, the culture and the stories of the dozens of African countries. We owe it to ourselves and our history to put that right.' - Simon Reeve

Why is Africa still perceived as a single country?
How did African soldiers contribute to World War II?
Who else led the charge against Apartheid in South Africa?
How did an African man become one of the wealthiest people in history?

There are (hi)stories you were never taught in school.

IT'S A CONTINENT delves into these stories and reveals an Africa as you've never read it before. Breaking down this vast, beautiful, and complex continent and exploring each nations' unique history and culture, IT'S A CONTINENT highlights the key historical moments that have shaped each nation and contributed to its modern global position.

Each chapter focuses on a different country and uncovers stories that mainstream education doesn't address at its peril.

This book aims to highlight the consequences of colonialism and how this legacy reverberates today, as well as how many African countries continue to re-build in its wake.

IT'S A CONTINENT is a bold and colourful corrective to the perception of Africa as a monolith. It reveals the fascinating, often overlooked, histories of its 54 nation states too often misrepresented, its inhabitants and its place in the world too often neglected.

ISBN-13: 9781529376784

Media Type: Hardcover

Publisher: Hodder

Publication Date: 11-15-2022

Pages: 320

Product Dimensions: 6.50(w) x 8.75(h) x 1.20(d)

Astrid Madimba (Author) Astrid was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and grew up in the UK. She studied at the University of Exeter and is a marketing professional by day. Chinny Ukata (Author) Chinny is British-Nigerian and studied at the University of Southampton. Her previous work has featured in publications including gal-dem and Black Ballad. It's a Continent is both Astrid and Chinny's first book.

Table of Contents

A Note From The Authors ix

Introduction xi

Glossary xv

Northern Africa 1

Algeria's Nationalist Fight 3

Egypt's Feminist Reformer 7

Libya: Gaddafi's Pan-African Motives 11

Mauritania's Interracial Conflict 16

Ceuta & Melilla: Morocco's European Cities 20

Tunisia: A Force Against the Roman Empire 25

Western Sahara: Africa's Disputed Territory 29

Eastern Africa 33

The Comoros Islands' Neocolonial Divide 35

Djibouti: Africa's New Moscow 39

Eritrea: Surviving Ethiopia's Colonisation 45

Ethiopia: Evading Italian Occupation 47

Kenya's Leading Eco-Activist 50

Madagascar's Uprising 54

Mauritius: Pursuit of the Chagos Islands 58

Rebuilding Rwanda 63

Seychelles' Path to Self-Sovereignty 68

Somalia and Somaliland: A Post-Independence Divide 72

South Sudan: A New African Nation 76

Sudan: The Kingdom of Kush 80

Tanzania's Founding Father 85

Uganda: Sexuality in Pre-Colonial Times 91

Southern Africa 95

Queen Nzinga: Angola's Protector 97

Botswana's Royal Interracial Love 101

eSwatini and the World's Longest Serving Monarch 105

Lesotho: The Country Within a Country 109

Malawi: Hastings Banda's Autocracy 113

Mozambican Civil War 118

Namibia's 'Forgotten' Genocide 123

South Africa's Black Consciousness 128

Zambia's Contribution to World War II 132

Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Fall From Grace 137

Western Africa 143

Benin's Socialist Past 145

Burkina Faso's Icon 150

Cabo Verde's Lost History 155

Côte d'Ivoire: Women's March on Grand-Bassam 160

The Gambia: 'The Banana Between Senegal's Teeth' 164

Ghana's Independence Battle 169

Amílcar Cabral: Guinea-Bissau's Bright Leader 173

Samory Touré: Guinea's Ambitious King 178

Liberia's American Shadow 182

Mali and the World's Wealthiest Man 186

Niger: The Kawousan War 190

Nigeria's Civil War 195

Senegal and the Mali Federation 200

Madam Yoko: Sierra Leone's High Society 205

Togo: A Complicated Relationship with Ghana 209

Central Africa 213

Burundi's Ethnic-Based Conflict 215

Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis 219

Central African Republic: A Process of Decolonisation 223

Chad: The Kanem-Bornu Empire 227

Mobutu Sese Seko: The DRC's Leopard King 230

Equatorial Guinea: Africa's Hispanic State 235

Gabon: The Orungu Kingdom 239

Republic of the Congo: Forming an Identity 242

Sao Tome and Principe: Plantation Economy 246

Afterword 249

Acknowledgements 251

Credits 253

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