The author looks at Africa in the sixties and at the major events which have shaped the destiny of the continent for decades since the end of colonial rule. Most of the countries had won independence by 1968. It was the euphoric and turbulent sixties when African countries were confronted with the harsh realities of nationhood including nation building and state consolidation. They were also years of military coups and assassinations as well as conflicts: the ouster of Kwame Nkrumah who led Ghana to become the first black African country to win independence; the Congo crisis including the secession of Katanga province and the assassination of Patrice Lumumba; the Nigerian civil war triggered by the secession of the Eastern Region which declared independence as the Republic of Biafra; the Zanzibar Revolution followed by the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar which led to the creation of a new country, Tanzania, which is the only union of independent states ever formed on the continent; and liberation wars in the countries of southern Africa which were under white minority rule. There were many other events which took place across the continent during those years. Almost all the major events which have taken place on the continent through the decades can be traced back to the sixties in one way or another. That was when the foundations of the young African nations were laid. It was also during those years when African governments adopted and implemented policies, including imported -isms which had a profound impact on the continent for decades. It was probably the most important decade in the history of post-colonial Africa.

v. 3: The third volume in the series examines the role of anti-apartheid movements around the world. The global anti-apartheid movement was very successful in creating awareness of the liberation struggle in South Africa, and in contributing to the downfall of the apartheid government. This volume, in 2 parts, brings together analyses which in the main are written by activist scholars with deep roots in the movements and organizations they are writing about.

This work examines the attempt by the governments of Portugal, Rhodesia and South Africa to defy the drive for African independence in the 1960s and 70s, and the international community’s response. From 1961 to 1974, Portugal, Rhodesia and South Africa collaborated in the attempt to preserve white minority rule in their respective territories. Hard-pressed by African nationalists, recently decolonized states, and many of the world’s Great Powers, they supported each other economically, politically and militarily, turning southern Africa into a major diplomatic concern which defied Cold War logic. This book examines how this collaboration came about and how the international community responded to it, paying close attention to the evolving situation in each country. The Portuguese Revolution of April 1974 undid this ‘white redoubt’, and the diplomatic policy subsequently adopted by apartheid South Africa – détente – led it to sacrifice Rhodesia in return for the illusion of permanent safety. A true work of transnational history, this book is based on the archival material of eight different countries, yet it serves as well as an introduction to the politics of southern Africa during the late colonial era.

How colonial governments in Asia and Africa financed their activities and why fiscal systems varied across colonies reveals the nature and long-term effects of colonial rule.

"South African Democracy Education Trust"--Cover.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and the world's eighth largest oil producer, but its success has been undermined in recent decades by ethnic and religious conflict, political instability, rampant official corruption and an ailing economy. Toyin Falola, a leading historian intimately acquainted with the region, and Matthew Heaton, who has worked extensively on African science and culture, combine their expertise to explain the context to Nigeria's recent troubles through an exploration of its pre-colonial and colonial past, and its journey from independence to statehood. By examining key themes such as colonialism, religion, slavery, nationalism and the economy, the authors show how Nigeria's history has been swayed by the vicissitudes of the world around it, and how Nigerians have adapted to meet these challenges. This book offers a unique portrayal of a resilient people living in a country with immense, but unrealized, potential.