decade of research, West Africa and the Sahel covers the territory where most African Americans find their roots.The collection encompasses an epic cultural history through the voices of women represented in twenty languages spoken in an area encompassing twelve countries. Beginning with African kingdoms dating six centuries or more before colonialism and independence, the volume gathers 132 texts?stories, songs, letters, drama, oral history, diaries, and historical documents?each with a readable authoritative headnote explaining its cultural and historical contexts. A general introduction provides an overview of West African cultural and literary history, including the brilliant and diverse traditions of women’s oral literatures.

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