AFRICAN HISTORY AND THE TRADITION OF HISTORICAL WRITING

Abstract

In the bid to establish the validity of African history and civilization, it is customary for the African scholars to prove that Africa has a long and glorious history before the advent of European colonial masters. Great efforts are usually made to show that this history is worthy of investigation like the history of Europe or that of the United States of America. Although African history has now become a respectable academic discipline in colleges and universities all over the world, it is important to realize that until about six decades ago, Africa was regarded by European historians and historical writers as a continent whose history only began with European intervention in Africa as from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, This study examines the European conception of African history and African response to those racist propaganda. Emphasis is laid on oral traditions as a valid and viable source for reconstructing African history and the ongoing trend in the tradition of historical writings in Africa by African and Africanist historians through time.