African Kingdoms and Icons
This LibGuide contains information to support ancient and modern African cultural course content and research
Kingdom of Aksum (Axum)
Nat Geo offers a great intro to this kingdom
Smart History offers related background and images
Britannica offers additional information and related links
World History offers related background, links, map and images
New World offers background, images and links
AFK offers 10 facts about the Aksum that are not generally found in other sources
Kingdom of Benin or Dahomey
National Geographic offers related background on Benin, from 1200s to the 1800s C.E. in western Africa, in what is now Nigeria
Britannica offers additional information and links on Benin
Khan Academy offer additional related background and images
BBC offers a breadth of information in a reader-friendly and inteactive site
British Museum offers background as well as images or artifacts and art
Kingdom of Ife
World History breadth of information on the Kingdom of Ife in West Africa circa 1050 - 1450 CE
Khan Academy offers additional background, focusing on the art and sculptures of the time
Met Museum offers art history of the Ife
Kingdom of Kush
Britannica offers general background, images, and links about the Kush
World History offers a related timeline and background
BBC video of a journalist's travel to the region of this ancient kingdom
Khan Academy offers an intro to ancient Nubia and the kingdom of Kush
Land of Punt
PBS offers great info on Punt
World History offers information related to the Land of Punt
Britannica provides related background info and links
Tour Egypt offers an article related to the Punt
Land of Punt site dedicated to providing background and related info
Queen Amina
African Feminist offers related background and links about Queen Amina
Black History Heroes provides additional related information on the queen
BBC offers a related intro video with information
Encyclopedia.com offers information and background about Queen Amina
DW.com provides a related video and background information
Queen Idia
Khan Academy offers related background and images of sculptures
Penn Museum offers background and focuses on a bronze sculpure in their collection
Guardian on the untold story of Obe Esigie and Iyoba Idia of Benin
Oxford Encyclopedia of Women offers a text exerpt of the queen's life
Face2Face on how the queens face inspired art
Daily Art offers additional background on the queen and kingdom of Benin in relation to art history
The Met offers an art history lens to the queen's life
Queen Merneith
Egypt Today offers an intro into who is considered the first Queen of ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt provides more insight into her life as a leader
Ancient Egypt offers background and links to Queen Merneith
Queen Nefertiti
Ägyptisches Museum intro that offers relevant information
Arts & Culture offers a multimedia presentation dedicated to Nefertiti
History offers intro to Nefertiti's background with related links and images
Archaeology offers additional relevant information
Queen Nzinga of Ndongo & Matamba
(aka Nzinga; Dona Ana de Sousa; Ana de Souza; Zhinga; N'Zhinga; Jinga; Ngola Ana Nzinga Mbande)
(aka Nzinga; Dona Ana de Sousa; Ana de Souza; Zhinga; N'Zhinga; Jinga; Ngola Ana Nzinga Mbande)
PBS offers a brief bio and informative video on her life
Black History Heroes provides background on her life
Atlas Obsura covers the queen's leadership and warrior skills against Europeans
The Met offers additional info on her life
Arts & Culture also offers related video and images
Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar
(aka Ramavo and Ranavalo-Manjaka I)
Historic Mysteries offers images and a breadth of information on the queen's life
Notable Biographies offers related background about the queen
Encyclopedia.com also offers related bio information
Afro-Legends offers several links, images, and related info
The Songhai Empire
World History offers background on the rise and fall of the Songhai Empire
Britannica offers background and links on the empire
Met Museum offers related art history
Arts & Culture related map of the empire
Encyclopedia.com also offers related general background
Tin Hinan
Ancient Origins discusses background and tomb of Queen Tin Hinan
Think Africa offers overlapping information on this queen and founder of the Tuaregs
Heritage House Scroll to middle of page under TUAREGS to read a bit about the queen
Yaa Asantewaa
BBC video and info about this Ghanaian warrior queen who led the fight against the British
GhanaWeb offers a small collection of related articles and videos related to her life
College of Wooster video presentation of an oral history that tells the story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa, showcasing songs to dances.