For generations, most of the stories told about Africa began at the moment of colonial contact, mostly told by explorers, missionaries, and colonial administrators. This shaped a narrative of Africa through an external lens.

Yet, Africa’s history did not begin in the late 19th Century. 

Long before colonial rule, African civilizations and trade networks existed. African societies transmitted knowledge and history through oral traditions: stories and narratives;  poetry, songs, and dance. 

By the 1960’s, a wave of independence swept through Africa.  The newly-independent countries wanted to reclaim something that was as important as the newly-found freedom—their history. 

It was against this backdrop that in 1964, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) envisioned an ambitious project—to restore, document, and chronicle the history of Africa from pre-history to the present, told through African perspectives and grounded in African sources. 

The project brought together some of the best minds from Africa and around the world, including Djibril Tamsir Niane, Cheikh Anta Diop, Théophile Obenga, Ali Mazrui and Gamal Mokhtar, to produce a unique body of work – the  ‘General History of Africa’.

This would become one of the most significant scholarly efforts ever mounted to reclaim and reframe the continent’s narrative, restoring depth, continuity and agency to Africa’s place in world history.

“By restoring to Africa the mastery of its own narrative, this collective work celebrates the richness of its knowledge, the strength of its diasporas, and the continent’s essential contribution to our shared humanity,” said Audrey Azoulay, the former UNESCO Director-General.

For the next 60 years (between 1964 and 1990s), the first eight volumes of the General History of Africa were produced by more than 550 specialists steered by a predominantly African Scientific Committee.

The writers integrated information from oral traditions, written archives, and scientific and archaeological findings. 

First published in English, French and Arabic, the volumes have since been translated into 12 languages, including three African languages – Kiswahili, Hausa and Fulani. 

In 2009, the Africa Union (AU) called for a new phase of General History of Africa to continue the story and connect it to the modern world. 

Three volumes were planned—to chronicle African diasporas around the world and explore challenges and opportunities facing Africa today.

The next three volumes

Produced after UNESCO relaunched the initiative in 2018, the next three volumes incorporated new information and research in archaeology, anthropology and the humanities. 

“These three additional volumes of the General History of Africa help us rediscover the history of humanity through a voice that is diverse, independent and alive,” said Ms. Azouley.

More than 200 African and international experts contributed to the latest editions that move beyond the traditional historical accounts, to cover the current realities shaping the continent including nation-building, youth, gender equality, migration, globalization, and environmental justice. 

These volumes position Africa and its diasporas as key in global political, economic, social and cultural networks. They highlight the influence of African diasporas on the modern world, from the scholarship of Ahmad Baba of Timbuktu to the intellectual leadership of figures such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Frederick Douglass. 

In doing so, they position Africa as a foundational contributor to universal thought and modernity. By going beyond traditional historical timelines to address present-day dynamics shaping the continent, they examine issues such as:

• Nation-building and state formation
• Youth and demographic transformation
• Gender equality
• Migration and globalization
• Environmental justice

Central to this new phase is the concept of “Global Africa” — a framework that situates Africa not at the margins of history, but at the centre of global political, economic, and cultural networks.

With the completion of the General History of Africa project, UNESCO has launched two digital initiatives to help transform the decades of research into accessible educational tools. The new initiatives include:

• Educational Guide & Curriculum Pathway: An educational guide released in late 2025 to support ministries of education in integrating contemporary African history into school curricula;
• ‘African Heroes’ Video Game: A free downloadable interactive game designed to introduce young people to iconic personalities from Africa and its diasporas. 

The goal is to not only to correct historical distortions but also to empower younger generations with a deeper understanding of Africa’s heritage and global role.

Today, the General History of Africa is widely regarded as a global reference for scholars, educators, the media and the youth.