This course centered African experiences and contributions during World War II. Although most histories of WWII have tended to ignore Africa’s role in this global conflict, the continent and its people were at the center of major developments during the war. In this course, we examined how Africans and outsiders have conceptualized the continent’s role in the war by analyzing a variety of sources, including scholarly writings, archival materials, films, former soldiers’ biographies, and propaganda posters. Although this course was disrupted by the perils of the pandemic, we were still able to conduct an synthesis assignment that used course material to convey an argument about Africa’s vital role in the Allied victory in WWII.
