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Big Ideas Simply Explained
The Black History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
Learn about the most important milestones in Black history in The Black History Book.
Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Black History in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Black History Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in.
This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Black History, with:
- Covers the most important milestones in Black and African history
- Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts
- A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout
- Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding
The Black History Book is a captivating introduction to the key milestones in Black History,
culture, and society across the globe - from the ancient world to the present, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Explore the rich history of the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora, and the struggles and triumphs of Black communities around the world, all through engaging text and bold graphics.
Your Black History Questions, Simply Explained
Which were the most powerful African empires? Who were the pioneers of jazz? What sparked the Black Lives Matter movement? If you thought it was difficult to learn about the legacy of African-American history, The Black History Book presents crucial information in an easy to follow layout. Learn about the earliest human migrations to modern Black communities, stories of the early kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Nubia; the powerful medieval and early modern empires; and the struggle against colonization. This book also explores Black history beyond the African continent, like the Atlantic slave trade and slave resistance settlements; the Harlem Renaissance and Jazz Age; the Windrush migration; civil rights and Black feminist movements.
The Big Ideas Series
With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Black History Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.
Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Black History in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Black History Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in.
This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Black History, with:
- Covers the most important milestones in Black and African history
- Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts
- A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout
- Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding
The Black History Book is a captivating introduction to the key milestones in Black History,
culture, and society across the globe - from the ancient world to the present, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Explore the rich history of the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora, and the struggles and triumphs of Black communities around the world, all through engaging text and bold graphics.
Your Black History Questions, Simply Explained
Which were the most powerful African empires? Who were the pioneers of jazz? What sparked the Black Lives Matter movement? If you thought it was difficult to learn about the legacy of African-American history, The Black History Book presents crucial information in an easy to follow layout. Learn about the earliest human migrations to modern Black communities, stories of the early kingdoms of Ancient Egypt and Nubia; the powerful medieval and early modern empires; and the struggle against colonization. This book also explores Black history beyond the African continent, like the Atlantic slave trade and slave resistance settlements; the Harlem Renaissance and Jazz Age; the Windrush migration; civil rights and Black feminist movements.
The Big Ideas Series
With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Black History Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2021
227 people are currently reading
1384 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,126 books2,068 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 28, 2022
Come tutti i libri di questa collana dà un’ottima infarinatura generale, che poi ovviamente ognuno può andare ad approfondire, perché è difficile – se non impossibile – che un unico libro (e su una Storia così vasta) possa essere esaustivo.
La prima parte è quella che mi è piaciuta meno, ma semplicemente perché mi interessa di più la storia moderna e contemporanea (di fatto però le basi servono, sennò ci si ritrova a non sapere perché ci siano persone nere in un determinato Stato, magari dando per scontato che sia una questione di immigrazione degli ultimi anni, quando magari sotto ci sono anni di colonialismo e schiavitù).
Ho letto fatti ed eventi di cui ero già a conoscenza, ho scoperto fatti ed eventi nuovi, ho letto storie già note di persone di cui già avevo letto o sentito, ma ho scoperto anche storie nuove di persone di cui ancora non conoscevo l’esistenza. Insomma, se si vuole avere un quadro generale della Black History questo mi sembra un libro valido.
La prima parte è quella che mi è piaciuta meno, ma semplicemente perché mi interessa di più la storia moderna e contemporanea (di fatto però le basi servono, sennò ci si ritrova a non sapere perché ci siano persone nere in un determinato Stato, magari dando per scontato che sia una questione di immigrazione degli ultimi anni, quando magari sotto ci sono anni di colonialismo e schiavitù).
Ho letto fatti ed eventi di cui ero già a conoscenza, ho scoperto fatti ed eventi nuovi, ho letto storie già note di persone di cui già avevo letto o sentito, ma ho scoperto anche storie nuove di persone di cui ancora non conoscevo l’esistenza. Insomma, se si vuole avere un quadro generale della Black History questo mi sembra un libro valido.
October 15, 2025
4 ⭐
I have been using DK Publishing's travel guides for a couple of decades now. I like them for their clear and concise explanations; their ample photo illustrations and their good graphics (maps, tables, graphs etc.). Those very same things are part of the company's "Big Ideas Simply Explained" line of titles (this one, anyway- being the only one I've read so far). I suspect the series is designed for young adults but it's useful for anyone who wants an introduction to the subject.
The book starts with human origins (for the first four million years or so history and black history were one and the same), up to about 2020 - you might call it "Bipedalism to Black Lives Matter."
In particular I found the history of pre-colonial African civilizations interesting ( I knew next to nothing about them). They were varied, with high cultures including unique architecture, visual arts, metal working, music and literature. Some of them were inclusive of women and minorities and tolerant of different religions. Some colonial era European archeologists didn't know what to make of the structures and relics left behind, attributing them to Arab societies or even Phoenicians. Many, such as Great Zimbabwe, lasted centuries (the Aksum Empire was around almost a thousand years).
Another topic that was new to me (but unsurprising) was the long history of resistance to and rebellion against enslavement. The first recorded revolt in the Americas occurred in 1521 on the island of Hispaniola (Haiti), just a few years after the trans Atlantic slave trade began. Resistance continued pretty much unabated from that point on. Societies of escaped slaves were founded in the Caribbean and South America (some of their descendants still exist in those communities today). But on the whole European enslavers pretty much had things their own way until people figured out what a dips*** move slavery is, beginning in the Nineteenth Century.
Other topics I liked learning about was the black diaspora outside the US, especially in the colonizing countries (Britain; France) all of which had their own civil rights struggles. The book also provides a run down on current hot button topics like "Intersectionality" and "Critical Race Theory." It does not get as far as Trump's second term and his systematic effort to dismantle 100 years of progress in areas of inclusion, diversity and equal rights before the law. But that's a whole other book.
I liked this one, though.
An index would have been helpful.
I have been using DK Publishing's travel guides for a couple of decades now. I like them for their clear and concise explanations; their ample photo illustrations and their good graphics (maps, tables, graphs etc.). Those very same things are part of the company's "Big Ideas Simply Explained" line of titles (this one, anyway- being the only one I've read so far). I suspect the series is designed for young adults but it's useful for anyone who wants an introduction to the subject.
The book starts with human origins (for the first four million years or so history and black history were one and the same), up to about 2020 - you might call it "Bipedalism to Black Lives Matter."
In particular I found the history of pre-colonial African civilizations interesting ( I knew next to nothing about them). They were varied, with high cultures including unique architecture, visual arts, metal working, music and literature. Some of them were inclusive of women and minorities and tolerant of different religions. Some colonial era European archeologists didn't know what to make of the structures and relics left behind, attributing them to Arab societies or even Phoenicians. Many, such as Great Zimbabwe, lasted centuries (the Aksum Empire was around almost a thousand years).
Another topic that was new to me (but unsurprising) was the long history of resistance to and rebellion against enslavement. The first recorded revolt in the Americas occurred in 1521 on the island of Hispaniola (Haiti), just a few years after the trans Atlantic slave trade began. Resistance continued pretty much unabated from that point on. Societies of escaped slaves were founded in the Caribbean and South America (some of their descendants still exist in those communities today). But on the whole European enslavers pretty much had things their own way until people figured out what a dips*** move slavery is, beginning in the Nineteenth Century.
Other topics I liked learning about was the black diaspora outside the US, especially in the colonizing countries (Britain; France) all of which had their own civil rights struggles. The book also provides a run down on current hot button topics like "Intersectionality" and "Critical Race Theory." It does not get as far as Trump's second term and his systematic effort to dismantle 100 years of progress in areas of inclusion, diversity and equal rights before the law. But that's a whole other book.
I liked this one, though.
An index would have been helpful.
July 4, 2024
I got this book from the library and immediately bought a copy for myself. The book holds up to its name "Big Ideas simply explained". I got a framework of the entire history of black people which has been very valuable in creating a timeline for understanding my people and myself by extension. Although this book was not written in an emotional language, too many chapters still managed to bring me to tears. I value all I've learned from this book, it will follow me forever.
May 24, 2022
The Black History Book, distributed by DK is a fairly self explanatory title. The book goes through history from the first human in Africa to the current Black Lives Matter movement. For being only 336 pages, it carries a boatload of information. I could only read about 10 pages a night so I could just ruminate on everything I had read and learned. Of course, even with all the information that packs a punch, it obviously just skims the surface of Black history and culture. But, it is a good beginning book to get a little information on a lot of different subjects - something DK Publishing is great at.
February 25, 2022
This is what I would term as Black history 101. It doesn't cover every single episode of the whole of Black history (you'd need a book about 10 times as long), but it DOES serve as a very good introduction.
I do wish that it had included a list of books to read for more information.
One of the things that I love about DK is that although the books are written for young people, the authors don't talk down to their audience. This makes them very pleasurable to read for adults who want a basic introduction to a subject.
I do wish that it had included a list of books to read for more information.
One of the things that I love about DK is that although the books are written for young people, the authors don't talk down to their audience. This makes them very pleasurable to read for adults who want a basic introduction to a subject.
April 13, 2022
A massive undertaking, this book attempts to chronicle a summary of all of Black History, from the earliest humans in Africa to the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and everything in between. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only book I know of to have made this attempt.
I might have given this five stars except for (1) no sources are listed — I automatically remove a full star for this infraction with any non-fiction book and (2) the layout is crowded and distracting, like the worst version of USA Today you can imagine — pullout quotes and graphs and photos stuck in at all sides, so the main text is squeezed around between them and difficult to follow.
(I published a more detailed review on my website.)
July 17, 2025
The Black American History book I attempted to read a girl was thick and all prose - no pictures, no breaks in paragraphs - a very daunting task and the book for African American History class in high school was similar, if not the same book. I appreciate the overall timeline at the beginning of this book, as well as the colorful photos and pages, side articles, infographs and organized layout. This book makes me proud as I see where I fit as a Black American in Black History. Black American achievements are seen throughout.
June 21, 2022
“The Black History Book” has the potential to serve as a powerful supplement and/or alternative to the Eurocentric education that most children of African descent receive. It is a comprehensive and chronological account of Black / African history, and it is global in its scope and reach. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to introduce and teach Black history to children or adults.
July 14, 2024
Ich habe ein Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag erhalten. Die beeinflusst nicht meine Meinung.
Das Black History Buch ist ein Must-Read für alle, die etwas über Geschichte lernen wollen, die sich nicht nur auf weiße Menschen fokussiert.
Das Buch ist in größere Kapitel und kleinere Unterkapitel aufgeteilt, die zumeist lediglich eine Doppelseite umfassen, dabei jedoch einen guten Überblick über das jeweilige Thema geben, unterstützt durch viele Bilder und Grafiken. Somit ist das Buch gut lesbar und verdaulich, ohne die Lesenden mit seinen Informationen zu überwältigen.
Auch der Sprachstil ist einfach, aber dennoch wissenschaftlich/neutral gehalten, wodurch die breite Masse angesprochen wird und nicht nur Akademiker*innen, was ebenfalls zur guten Lesbarkeit beiträgt.
Während die Kapitelnamen immer passend sind, ist ihre Aufteilung manchmal leider etwas chaotisch. So springt das Buch zum Beispiel zwischen Ländern, Kontinenten und Zeiten hin und her, anstatt thematisch auf das vorherige Unterkapitel aufzubauen. (Bsp: 1 Kapitel in den USA, dann eins in Afrika in einem ganz anderen Jahrhundert und einem Thema, das nichts mit dem vorherigen gemeinsam hat, dann ein weites Kapitel, das in den USA spielt, im selben Jahrhundert/Jahrzehnt und thematisch ähnlich zu dem vorherigen Kapitel aus dem USA.) Dadurch wurde es dann doch etwas chaotisch und die vielen Informationen schwerer zu behalten.
Was mir auch gefehlt hat, waren Kapitel zur Kultur und wie diese beeinflusst wurde/sich über die Jahrhunderte verändert hat. Denn Kultur ist ein wichtiger Teil der Geschichte. Leider wurde hier zu viel Wert auf einzelne Ereignisse gelegt.
Auch fehlten mir stärkere Ausführungen dazu, wie schwarze Menschen den Kampf um Frauenrechte und queere Rechte beeinflusst haben, beides wurde fast nur nebenbei erwähnt.
Alles in allem ist dies jedoch ein gutes Übersichtswerk zu Geschichte, die auch in unseren Schulen mehr gelehrt werden sollte.
Das Black History Buch ist ein Must-Read für alle, die etwas über Geschichte lernen wollen, die sich nicht nur auf weiße Menschen fokussiert.
Das Buch ist in größere Kapitel und kleinere Unterkapitel aufgeteilt, die zumeist lediglich eine Doppelseite umfassen, dabei jedoch einen guten Überblick über das jeweilige Thema geben, unterstützt durch viele Bilder und Grafiken. Somit ist das Buch gut lesbar und verdaulich, ohne die Lesenden mit seinen Informationen zu überwältigen.
Auch der Sprachstil ist einfach, aber dennoch wissenschaftlich/neutral gehalten, wodurch die breite Masse angesprochen wird und nicht nur Akademiker*innen, was ebenfalls zur guten Lesbarkeit beiträgt.
Während die Kapitelnamen immer passend sind, ist ihre Aufteilung manchmal leider etwas chaotisch. So springt das Buch zum Beispiel zwischen Ländern, Kontinenten und Zeiten hin und her, anstatt thematisch auf das vorherige Unterkapitel aufzubauen. (Bsp: 1 Kapitel in den USA, dann eins in Afrika in einem ganz anderen Jahrhundert und einem Thema, das nichts mit dem vorherigen gemeinsam hat, dann ein weites Kapitel, das in den USA spielt, im selben Jahrhundert/Jahrzehnt und thematisch ähnlich zu dem vorherigen Kapitel aus dem USA.) Dadurch wurde es dann doch etwas chaotisch und die vielen Informationen schwerer zu behalten.
Was mir auch gefehlt hat, waren Kapitel zur Kultur und wie diese beeinflusst wurde/sich über die Jahrhunderte verändert hat. Denn Kultur ist ein wichtiger Teil der Geschichte. Leider wurde hier zu viel Wert auf einzelne Ereignisse gelegt.
Auch fehlten mir stärkere Ausführungen dazu, wie schwarze Menschen den Kampf um Frauenrechte und queere Rechte beeinflusst haben, beides wurde fast nur nebenbei erwähnt.
Alles in allem ist dies jedoch ein gutes Übersichtswerk zu Geschichte, die auch in unseren Schulen mehr gelehrt werden sollte.
July 22, 2023
In 2021 DK Publishing, a division of Random House, released a digital edition of “The Black History: Big Ideas Simply Explained.” The exceptional DK publishing team crafted a 772 page Kindle digital edition designed for readers who seek an in-depth understanding of history and the forces that underpin worldwide social advances. The Kindle edition graphics, digital references links, presentation formats, research, and written presentations are outstanding. (P)
May 24, 2022
As always with books from DK this is an excellent beginning or supplement to the subject. Trying to cover such a long time period in a reasonably sized book means it's pretty skimpy in most places. But it is a very good reminder to the world that Africa wasn't just a bunch of wandering tribes living hunter-gathering lives.
Recommended.
Recommended.
February 22, 2023
A beautiful and easy to read book. I recommend 👌
January 2, 2023
This factually dense history is a valuable source document for world wide black history spanning dates BC to present day. I listened to an audio version, in short sessions that filled my head with new information about other countries' histories that I'd never heard before, and world events I was aware of while growing up but never understood the reasons for the wars and genocide. This book taught me so much world and ancient history.
The portions that revealed the years of my lifetime detailed the horrors of Jim Crow south, black codes, sundowner laws, the flagrant injustices my family witnessed upon leaving the Navy and returning to the "mainland." I had been taught in church that God made us all in God's image and that we were all God's beloved children. The hateful language, segregation everywhere and everyplace, violence done to blacks, and lack of police protection for blacks, all went against what I'd been taught about God's love for all humans. It made me question how such hateful people could claim to be Christians. I still have no answers for that.
I recall my shocked realization when we moved north in the 60's, and found that racism was just sneakier in Ohio than it had been in Texas.
Through all the history detailed in this book, one fact became clear. Some humans and more than others, have an unquenchable thirst for power, dominance over other groups, and a need to denigrate "the other, and make their lives difficult. These are the ones who invent reasons for wars. The cultures that value community, cooperation, sharing of resources, family and village life are less likely to wage wars.
I highly recommend this book to curious students of world history.
The portions that revealed the years of my lifetime detailed the horrors of Jim Crow south, black codes, sundowner laws, the flagrant injustices my family witnessed upon leaving the Navy and returning to the "mainland." I had been taught in church that God made us all in God's image and that we were all God's beloved children. The hateful language, segregation everywhere and everyplace, violence done to blacks, and lack of police protection for blacks, all went against what I'd been taught about God's love for all humans. It made me question how such hateful people could claim to be Christians. I still have no answers for that.
I recall my shocked realization when we moved north in the 60's, and found that racism was just sneakier in Ohio than it had been in Texas.
Through all the history detailed in this book, one fact became clear. Some humans and more than others, have an unquenchable thirst for power, dominance over other groups, and a need to denigrate "the other, and make their lives difficult. These are the ones who invent reasons for wars. The cultures that value community, cooperation, sharing of resources, family and village life are less likely to wage wars.
I highly recommend this book to curious students of world history.
February 8, 2022
I am surprised and concern about the content being equivalent to the title. Maybe, World history of Blacks? 02/01/22
If the cover and title wasn't as so, I probably never would have picked up the book to read for Black history month. I appreciate the historical geography that's provided to my grandchildren. 02/05/22
The Dewey number in the library matches the content....It was misleading at first. I got it. Religion trade, & conditions, but overall for the curious, it's definitely a start. Thanks
I may have been fusing this book up with Black History Month, since February is here and the book arrived in my face. I was taught that Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. It's a time when African-Americans can take the time out and see what the people before them fought for. Black History is a time of delighting, celebrating and thanking those African-Americans for giving us hope.
Okay final thoughts! It is about inclusivity! I get it. I just have to get use to it because I'm forced to give up my oral history of this country along with this. 02/08/22 Just one chapter that stuck in my mind last week. I believe it was titled Sick or Well....It mentioned that the slaves got along with their masters? Okay, sounds bizarre, but okay historian.
If the cover and title wasn't as so, I probably never would have picked up the book to read for Black history month. I appreciate the historical geography that's provided to my grandchildren. 02/05/22
The Dewey number in the library matches the content....It was misleading at first. I got it. Religion trade, & conditions, but overall for the curious, it's definitely a start. Thanks
I may have been fusing this book up with Black History Month, since February is here and the book arrived in my face. I was taught that Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. It's a time when African-Americans can take the time out and see what the people before them fought for. Black History is a time of delighting, celebrating and thanking those African-Americans for giving us hope.
Okay final thoughts! It is about inclusivity! I get it. I just have to get use to it because I'm forced to give up my oral history of this country along with this. 02/08/22 Just one chapter that stuck in my mind last week. I believe it was titled Sick or Well....It mentioned that the slaves got along with their masters? Okay, sounds bizarre, but okay historian.
March 23, 2025
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. It is certainly informative and could be useful for a surface-level dive into a broad array of topics related to Black history, but I personally feel like the level of disorganization took away from what could have otherwise been a much stronger text.
As a visual learner, I had a hard time staying engaged with the book due to the lack of visual aids—which I know may sound silly since the book isn’t purely text and does include a number of visual elements to break up the pages, but most of them are purely cosmetic. I would have appreciated more maps and timelines throughout the book because I had a really hard time visualizing the concepts being described in words. For example, I wished there was a timeline of all the Egyptian dynasties and rulers, not just the text descriptions on pages 26 & 27, because as someone unfamiliar with Egyptian history, I found that only having text descriptions was difficult to follow. I also wanted more maps throughout the book, but there were few to none, which I found incredibly frustrating. Not only does the book not have a map of modern-day Africa and its current countries, but different geographical regions are constantly described throughout the book and not defined or shown. Even if someone were familiar with terms/regions like “Asia Minor,” “the Middle East,” and “the Sudan” (used to describe a specific region, not the modern-day state, yet this region is not defined in the book), the fact is that the political and geographical boundaries of the ancient world (and even the world just a century or a decade ago!) are different than today’s. It was so frustrating that the book doesn’t bother to show the reader what these historical boundaries would have looked like on a map. The book also switches back and forth between describing geographical areas in terms of both their historical boundaries and modern-day boundaries, often in the exact same chapter, which, again, I found overwhelmingly confusing, and even more so because there are no maps provided. I literally had to print out a map of the African continent and have it beside me while I was reading, otherwise I would have had no point of reference for the majority of political and geographical boundaries being described.
There were also numerous instances where terms were introduced without being defined—for example, on page 197, over a hundred pages after the terms “emirate” and “caliphate” are first used (as early as page 65), they are finally defined—and the book lacks a glossary, which means you either have to bust out a dictionary, Google the terms yourself, or use context clues to try to guess what the terms mean. I think it’s irritating when a nonfiction book makes the reader do this much extra work and can’t even bother to define terms that not everyone may know.
Additionally, there were more than a few instances where something was described in one way on one page and then at some point later in the book, the same thing was described in a conflicting way. I could never tell if this was meant to reflect the ambiguity of history or if it was simply a sloppy factual oversight on the book authors/editors’ end. For example, on page 38, the book states: “In 264 BCE, Rome launched a campaign to topple Carthage that lasted for more than 100 years with intermittent gains and devastating losses on each side” (emphasis mine). But on previously on page 35, the text reads: “From 264 BCE, Carthage gathered armies of Libyans, Numidians, Phoenicians, and people of mixed Punic-North African descent to challenge the power of Rome in three Punic Wars that led to its downfall in 146 BCE” (emphasis mine). So who started the war? For someone who knows absolutely nothing about this area of history and is looking to build understanding, you won’t find it here—there's no further elaboration and these two contrasting descriptions paint a very misleading and confusing picture. If the repeated conflicting descriptions throughout this book are meant to represent the ambiguity of history, there should be language clearly delineating that, such as: “Rome has been described as the aggressor by Punic historians, but Roman historians depict Carthage as responsible for starting the Punic wars.” But there is no clarifying language like that. Other times, there were clearly factual inconsistencies that could be none other than an unchecked error on someone’s part, like when “In Context” box on page 290 says, “2010: Face coverings are banned in public places,” but then the text on page 291 says, “In 2011, full-face veils were banned in public places.” Unless full-face veils don't count as face coverings, it’s obvious that a date is incorrect here, but which one? The repeated textual ambiguities and factual inconsistencies across the book heavily undercut its credibility in my eyes. Not to mention there are no citations, references, or suggested further reading for this book. Combined with the lack of a glossary, maps, and other important visual and informational aids, I consider this book to be quite the failure as an entry-level research or reference book, which is a shame, because if a little more thought had been put into its organization, this could have had the potential to be an amazing reference/research text. As is, it has almost no credibility and very little usefulness to any researcher, let alone the average person trying to learn more about this topic, and I would not recommend it to anyone for research.
That being said—I did learn a lot from reading this book and it introduced me to a lot of ideas and concepts I had never previously encountered in my studies. So I would say it could be useful for building a surface-level understanding of the complexity of Black history, but prepare to be very frustrated and do your own leg work to dig up further reading and research on the topics you encounter here.
I'm not sure if I would read any other books in this series ("Big Ideas Simply Explained") if all the books are this poorly structured.
As a visual learner, I had a hard time staying engaged with the book due to the lack of visual aids—which I know may sound silly since the book isn’t purely text and does include a number of visual elements to break up the pages, but most of them are purely cosmetic. I would have appreciated more maps and timelines throughout the book because I had a really hard time visualizing the concepts being described in words. For example, I wished there was a timeline of all the Egyptian dynasties and rulers, not just the text descriptions on pages 26 & 27, because as someone unfamiliar with Egyptian history, I found that only having text descriptions was difficult to follow. I also wanted more maps throughout the book, but there were few to none, which I found incredibly frustrating. Not only does the book not have a map of modern-day Africa and its current countries, but different geographical regions are constantly described throughout the book and not defined or shown. Even if someone were familiar with terms/regions like “Asia Minor,” “the Middle East,” and “the Sudan” (used to describe a specific region, not the modern-day state, yet this region is not defined in the book), the fact is that the political and geographical boundaries of the ancient world (and even the world just a century or a decade ago!) are different than today’s. It was so frustrating that the book doesn’t bother to show the reader what these historical boundaries would have looked like on a map. The book also switches back and forth between describing geographical areas in terms of both their historical boundaries and modern-day boundaries, often in the exact same chapter, which, again, I found overwhelmingly confusing, and even more so because there are no maps provided. I literally had to print out a map of the African continent and have it beside me while I was reading, otherwise I would have had no point of reference for the majority of political and geographical boundaries being described.
There were also numerous instances where terms were introduced without being defined—for example, on page 197, over a hundred pages after the terms “emirate” and “caliphate” are first used (as early as page 65), they are finally defined—and the book lacks a glossary, which means you either have to bust out a dictionary, Google the terms yourself, or use context clues to try to guess what the terms mean. I think it’s irritating when a nonfiction book makes the reader do this much extra work and can’t even bother to define terms that not everyone may know.
Additionally, there were more than a few instances where something was described in one way on one page and then at some point later in the book, the same thing was described in a conflicting way. I could never tell if this was meant to reflect the ambiguity of history or if it was simply a sloppy factual oversight on the book authors/editors’ end. For example, on page 38, the book states: “In 264 BCE, Rome launched a campaign to topple Carthage that lasted for more than 100 years with intermittent gains and devastating losses on each side” (emphasis mine). But on previously on page 35, the text reads: “From 264 BCE, Carthage gathered armies of Libyans, Numidians, Phoenicians, and people of mixed Punic-North African descent to challenge the power of Rome in three Punic Wars that led to its downfall in 146 BCE” (emphasis mine). So who started the war? For someone who knows absolutely nothing about this area of history and is looking to build understanding, you won’t find it here—there's no further elaboration and these two contrasting descriptions paint a very misleading and confusing picture. If the repeated conflicting descriptions throughout this book are meant to represent the ambiguity of history, there should be language clearly delineating that, such as: “Rome has been described as the aggressor by Punic historians, but Roman historians depict Carthage as responsible for starting the Punic wars.” But there is no clarifying language like that. Other times, there were clearly factual inconsistencies that could be none other than an unchecked error on someone’s part, like when “In Context” box on page 290 says, “2010: Face coverings are banned in public places,” but then the text on page 291 says, “In 2011, full-face veils were banned in public places.” Unless full-face veils don't count as face coverings, it’s obvious that a date is incorrect here, but which one? The repeated textual ambiguities and factual inconsistencies across the book heavily undercut its credibility in my eyes. Not to mention there are no citations, references, or suggested further reading for this book. Combined with the lack of a glossary, maps, and other important visual and informational aids, I consider this book to be quite the failure as an entry-level research or reference book, which is a shame, because if a little more thought had been put into its organization, this could have had the potential to be an amazing reference/research text. As is, it has almost no credibility and very little usefulness to any researcher, let alone the average person trying to learn more about this topic, and I would not recommend it to anyone for research.
That being said—I did learn a lot from reading this book and it introduced me to a lot of ideas and concepts I had never previously encountered in my studies. So I would say it could be useful for building a surface-level understanding of the complexity of Black history, but prepare to be very frustrated and do your own leg work to dig up further reading and research on the topics you encounter here.
I'm not sure if I would read any other books in this series ("Big Ideas Simply Explained") if all the books are this poorly structured.
August 30, 2025
This book paints a new appreciation for African (diaspora) history!
Through reading about the stories of who individual African communities or individuals are, I have fallen in love with the continent and its inhabitants <3
The book challenges our notions of who they are. Though slavery plays a major role in their identity, it's just a slice of a larger pie that defines them. They are a diverse group after all, with a shared unity, but key differences that can't be labeled as all being homogenous.
There were a lot of surprises I found in this book that one would think would receive greater recognition in history, yet has seemingly been swept under the rug.
To combat racism, and to have a wider understanding of history which has largely been Eurocentric, I highly recommend more people reading this or similar books like this!! :)
Through reading about the stories of who individual African communities or individuals are, I have fallen in love with the continent and its inhabitants <3
The book challenges our notions of who they are. Though slavery plays a major role in their identity, it's just a slice of a larger pie that defines them. They are a diverse group after all, with a shared unity, but key differences that can't be labeled as all being homogenous.
There were a lot of surprises I found in this book that one would think would receive greater recognition in history, yet has seemingly been swept under the rug.
To combat racism, and to have a wider understanding of history which has largely been Eurocentric, I highly recommend more people reading this or similar books like this!! :)
June 17, 2025
This is a powerful, well written history
I learned an amazing amount of history about Black history that I didn't know through reading this excellent book. I learned about the effects of slavery and, later, racism, civil wars, and autocrats had around the world including Africa. I white and I chose this book to read for Black History month (February). However, there was much more detailed and much longer than I anticipated. I didn't mind though because the stories in the book were great reads. I have always been arguably anti-racist but the "The Black History Book" taught me that I found new respect for people that are not like me in general, and for people I know but who have had to go through and still go through problems and barriers that I never have to think about.
I learned an amazing amount of history about Black history that I didn't know through reading this excellent book. I learned about the effects of slavery and, later, racism, civil wars, and autocrats had around the world including Africa. I white and I chose this book to read for Black History month (February). However, there was much more detailed and much longer than I anticipated. I didn't mind though because the stories in the book were great reads. I have always been arguably anti-racist but the "The Black History Book" taught me that I found new respect for people that are not like me in general, and for people I know but who have had to go through and still go through problems and barriers that I never have to think about.
Read
January 11, 2022Disappointed - No criticism of contemporary prominent figures or movements; politically biased, excludes numerous people, such as Dr Mildred Jefferson, Dr Alveda King...
We need more histories like this, but that strive to be unbiased and that include all of the influential and strong individuals in this cultural history, along with a truer picture of all sides.
No mention of the abuses under the communists in South Africa. No mention of conservative melanated people in 21st century America.
True history should never leave out so many and so much.
We need more histories like this, but that strive to be unbiased and that include all of the influential and strong individuals in this cultural history, along with a truer picture of all sides.
No mention of the abuses under the communists in South Africa. No mention of conservative melanated people in 21st century America.
True history should never leave out so many and so much.
November 29, 2023
A very interesting book. Though the title does not suit the book. It's hard to put all the history of black people in a medium sized book. One almost wishes the book could have been bigger or run to more volumes. Especially in light of the many events highlighted in this book.
February 21, 2022
Informative but basically a text book.
April 13, 2022
great overview
Covers historical, social, geographical, and national history. Thorough and clean language for easy understanding. Graphics beautiful, well put together. Enjoyed.
Covers historical, social, geographical, and national history. Thorough and clean language for easy understanding. Graphics beautiful, well put together. Enjoyed.
Currently reading
April 13, 2022Review incoming
June 13, 2022
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It's well-organized and expertly written. I strongly suggest that EVERYONE, regardless of their ethnicity, read this.
June 1, 2024
After receiving this book, I discovered that this book was not for me. It's repeated dialogue and structure from other works on the topic of "African" history, not black. For example, Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates, Jr's "Africana: The encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience"
Going with the title of this book makes it seem like our true history of self will remain hidden and discarded while trying to effectively make Black synonymous with our existence in the European realm of reality. Black is a condition that belongs to no part of land, no people, and no language or custom. I personally despise it.
What attracted me to the book was the cover art. It looks amazing. There is nothing wrong with the information but it's not bringing anything new to the table. It's just putting a new cover on it.
Going with the title of this book makes it seem like our true history of self will remain hidden and discarded while trying to effectively make Black synonymous with our existence in the European realm of reality. Black is a condition that belongs to no part of land, no people, and no language or custom. I personally despise it.
What attracted me to the book was the cover art. It looks amazing. There is nothing wrong with the information but it's not bringing anything new to the table. It's just putting a new cover on it.
October 30, 2023
Excellent and very up-to-date reference. Packed with interesting facts and all research includes sources. I learned some fascinating world history.
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