African history did not begin when Europeans arrived. The evidence from African written sources and other sources provides a rich and extensive record of historical accounts that predate European contact. These sources encompass a wide range of periods, regions, and themes, shedding light on the complexity and diversity of African history.
One significant source of African history is the collection of written sources from ancient Egypt. Egyptian hieroglyphics and inscriptions on monuments and stelae provide valuable insights into the civilization's political, religious, and cultural aspects.
South of Egypt, in Sudan, the Great Triumphal Stela of King Piye recounts the exploits of the Kushite king, demonstrating the existence of powerful additional African kingdoms. The Dream Stela of Kushite King Tanwetamani narrates the restoration of the double kingdom of Kush and Egypt, emphasizing the interconnectedness of African civilizations.
The Nubian kingdoms, such as Kush, Meroe, Makuria, Nobatia and Alodia, left behind a wealth of written sources. Inscriptions, royal letters, land sales documents, and tomb texts provide historical accounts, genealogical information, and insights into religious practices. These sources offer a nuanced understanding of the social and political structures of North Sudanese societies.
Furthermore, accounts by Greek and Roman historians, such as Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and Strabo, mentioned the Kingdom of Kush and its rulers, indicating the interactions between African kingdoms and the ancient Mediterranean world. These accounts demonstrate that Africa had a long-established presence in the historical narratives of the ancient world.
Africans played a significant role in the birth of the United Israelite states, the division of Israel and later the city-state of Judah. Egypt, mentioned over 700 times in the Bible, had interactions with Israel, Babylon, Assyria, and Persia. African regions and individuals are mentioned over 1,417 times, with Africans like Hagar, Joseph's Egyptian wife, and Moses' Cushite wife playing important roles. Africans were present during the Israelites' stay in Egypt, and African descendants settled in Canaan. African influence continued in the Old and New Testaments, with Africans contributing to the early church and the spread of Christianity, even reaching England through Hadrian the African. The African church also played a vital role in preserving and transmitting the teachings of early Christian fathers.
Coptic manuscripts, written during the medieval period, offer valuable historical accounts of early Christian communities in Egypt. They provide information about the lives of saints, the development of the Coptic Church, and interactions with African society. The Acts of the Martyrs and The Life of Saint Anthony are examples of Coptic manuscripts that contribute to our understanding of religious and social history in ancient Egypt.
The African Church Fathers (Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Cyprian, Lactantius, Optatus of Milevi, Augustine) belonged to the rather short-lived African Church of the first five centuries of Christianity. It was a soil mostly plowed by sufferings from persecutions and fertilized by heresies and threatening schisms.
The early African church had a significant impact on the preservation and transmission of the teachings of the early Christian fathers. They engaged in copying and transcribing manuscripts, translating texts into different languages, and utilizing durable materials like parchment. The African church established monastic libraries and schools, where scholars could study and learn. Bishops played a crucial role in overseeing the proper copying and translation of texts, while disciples passed down teachings through oral tradition. The African church actively participated in councils, produced apologists and commentaries, and involved women in copying and translating texts. Martyrs, letters, confessions, creeds, liturgy, hymns, icons, and the use of libraries and scriptoriums were all part of the African church's efforts to preserve and transmit the teachings of the early Christian fathers, ensuring their dissemination throughout the Christian world.
In East Africa, Aksum (encompassing Yemen, Eritrea and Tigray, Ethiopia), the kingdom of Zagwe, the Solomonic dynasty of Abyssinia, the Kingdom of Warsangali (1218-1886AD), and the kingdom of Mogadishu also left records about their societies.
Arabic chronicles from the medieval period also provide significant insights into African history. Works such as "Tarikh al-Sudan" and "Tarikh al-Maghrib" offer accounts of various African empires, including the Ghana Empire, the Songhai Empire, and the Mali Empire. Various states also kept their written and oral records such as Ghana, Mali, Songhai, and Kano. These chronicles illuminate the political, social, and economic aspects of African civilizations.
European travelers' accounts from explorers and adventurers who journeyed through Africa provide additional perspectives on African history. Figures like David Livingstone, Mary Kingsley, and Mungo Park documented their observations of indigenous cultures, geography, and the impacts of the transatlantic slave trade. These accounts offer valuable firsthand insights into African societies before European colonization.
In conclusion, African history predates European arrival, and a wide array of written sources and accounts from diverse periods and regions provide evidence of this rich history. From ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics to Kushite writings, Aksumite records, Arabic chronicles, Coptic manuscripts, West African records, Swahili manuscripts, and later European travelers' accounts, these sources collectively demonstrate the depth and complexity of African civilizations, dispelling any notion that African history began only with European contact.
Some societies developed writing late, but this happened on all continents. It wasn’t a unique occurrence in Africa.
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