A History of Africa South of the Sahara

by Donald L. Wiedner

Professor Donald L. Wiedner published this book in 1964, shortly after the vast majority of countries in Africa achieved independence from colonial rule. The Sahara desert has effectively created two Africas, the one in the north, along the Mediterranean coast, that is primarily Arab and Islamic. The desert itself, and south of it are primarily Black Africa, with mixed religious influences, and that is Wiedner's focus, as indicated by the title.

578 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Selma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It was not traditional in Africa, to enslave permanently, to consider slaves as unrestricted private property, or to make slaves a primary item wholesale trade; it was not European custom to own humans or do use them for Personal profit, but property owners traditionally had complete freedom to use, or to dispose of their possessions.” (72)

“The Bantu were more numerous, with traditions that assumed communal ownership of all but personal articles, but the Boers, who had superior weapons to compensate for their small numbers, continued to maintain the European tradition of individual property rights.” (125)