HIST 1504: Introduction to African History (Unangst) Fall 2025, 1504 – 01

Reference books (encyclopedias, handbooks, chronologies) are valuable sources of information.

• Brief overviews
• Important concepts, names, and dates
• Lists of sources for further reading for print sources
• Free photocopying at the Reference Desk
• Scanner available across from Reference Desk

Note: Reference sources do not generally count as required sources.

Selected Titles in Print

Titles, unless designated as Ref, are located in the library’s circulating collection.

Africa                                                                                                                                                        Ref DT 1 D6

Africa:  An Encyclopedia of Culture and Society                                                                                 Ref DT 14 A3415 2016

Encyclopedia of African History                                                                                                            Ref DT 20 B53 2005

Encyclopedia of African History and Culture                                                                                       Ref DT 3 P27

Encyclopedia of 20^th-Century African History                                                                                      Ref DT 29 E53 2003

New Encyclopedia of Africa                                                                                                                   Ref DT 2 N48 2008

Oxford Encyclopedia of African Thought                                                                                             Ref DT 14 I74 2010   

Print reference books on African history can be found in Ref DT on Milne Library’s 1^st floor and in the library’s sub-basement (SB).                

Online Reference Databases

Databases are listed in alphabetical order by title under the Databases tab at the top of the library website (A-Z list).

Cambridge Histories Online                                                                          

This database includes the complete text of over 350 scholarly titles in the Cambridge History Series.  Each available title is also listed individually in the library’s online catalog. 

Credo Reference                                                                                            

Provides background information from many general and subject encyclopedias.

Gale Virtual Reference Library                                                            

A collection of full-text reference books covering many subjects.

Sage Knowledge

Selected full text of reference sources across the disciplines.