Research Guides: HIST 280: West African History Since 1800 (Spring 2025): Primary Sources

Tips

Language has changed over the centuries, and it is often difficult to speak like - and think like - our 17th century ancestors.

Words like college, race, gender, nation have changed in the recent century.
When looking at Primary Source, use the country name used during that time period.
Most primary source databases will have "thematic" filters to get you started. Before keyword searching, start there. See what curated documents come up. From those documents, see what terminology is being used by contemporaries.
Begin with basic searches and do not be too complicated. DO NOT USE TOO MANY TERMS AT ONCE
Be sure to use period-specific language.
Do NOT search a bunch of terms. This will give more, not less, false its.
Pick keywords carefully -- remember that words and their meaning change over time
Use the database limiting tools (publication date, place of publication, etc) to limit results. Do this instead of adding more search terms.
Use boolean (and or not) to make the best searches.

Not sure were to start? They the catalog!

example: relations between Liberia and the United States during the US Civil War or during WW2

ex: west africa during ww1

Use Primary Source Databases

African Diaspora, 1860-Present
Essential for understanding Black history and culture, African Diaspora, 1860-Present allows scholars to discover the migrations, communities, and ideologies of the African Diaspora through the voices of people of African descent. With a focus on communities in the Caribbean, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, and France, the collection includes never-before digitized primary source documents.
African Newspapers, Series 1 (1800-1922)
African Newspapers in the World Newspaper Archive contains more than 420,000 pages of content from newspapers published throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The database features 67 titles from Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and other countries.
AllAfrica
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 900 news and information items daily from over 140 African news organizations and their own reporters to an African and global public. They operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
Aluka-African Cultural Heritage Sites and Landscapes
Images, documents, and 3D models documenting heritage sites throughout Africa. Includes photographs, GIS data, site plans, excavation reports, traveler's accounts, maps, books, recordings, journal articles, etc. Coverage: 18th century-present.
Confidential Print: Africa, 1834-1966
Complete volumes of all British Government Confidential Print for Africa, from the Colonial, Dominion, Foreign and War Offices.
Archives Direct
European Colonialism in the Early 20th Century: French Colonialism in Africa from Algeria to Madagascar
This collection comprises correspondence, studies and reports, cables, maps, and other kinds of documents related to U.S. consular activities. U.S. Consulates were listening posts reporting on the activities of the French colonial government and the activities of the native peoples. Highlights include the beginning of an anti-colonial movement and problems along the Moroccan-Algerian border. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1910-1930.
European Colonialism in the Early 20th Century: German Colonies to League of Nations Mandates in Africa
This collection comprises correspondence, studies and reports, cables, maps, and other kinds of documents related to U.S. consular activities. U.S. Consulates were listening posts reporting on the activities of the German colonial governments and later the mandate authorities, and the activities of the native peoples. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1910-1929.
European Colonialism in the Early 20th Century: Italian Colonies in North Africa and Aggression in East Africa
This collection comprises correspondence, studies and reports, cables, maps, and other kinds of documents related to U.S. consular activities. U.S. Consulates were listening posts reporting on the activities of the Italian colonial governments and later the mandate authorities, and the activities of the native peoples. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1930-1939.
European Colonialism in the Early 20th Century: Political and Economic Consolidation of Portuguese Colonies in Africa
This collection comprises correspondence, studies and reports, cables, maps, and other kinds of documents related to U.S. consular activities. U.S. Consulates were listening posts reporting on the activities of the Portuguese colonial government and the activities of the native peoples. Highlights include the beginning of an anti-colonial movement and the industrialization and economic exploitation of Portugal's African colonies. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1910-1929.
Liberation Movement in Africa and African America
Black nationalism and pan-Africanism. FBI documents, correspondence, ephemera, reports, memoranda, transcriptions, etc. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1970-1985.
Newspapers.com (World Collection, 1690-)
Newspapers.com is a historical database of newspapers across the globe, potentially going as far back as 1690 and up until the present day.
African Books Collective
African Books Collective (ABC) is an African-owned mission-based distribution outlet for books published in Africa. The publishers include: scholarly and literary presses; childrens book publishers; research institutes; university presses; commercial presses large and small; NGOs; writer, academic, and activist organizations or collectives. The library currently has digital access to the pre-2020 backlist of titles, as well as the frontlists for 2020 and 2021, which amounts to over 1500 titles.
Africa Knowledge Project
Africa Knowledge Project, known as AKP, promotes Critical African Studies. It disseminates Africa-centered, evidence-based knowledge on Africa and African Diaspora.

HIST 280: West African History Since 1800 (Spring 2025)

Tips

Use Primary Source Databases

Primary Sources Online