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Resources for Research + Scholarship in History

Related Guides for Africa

Research Databases for Africa

Note: This is only a recommended selection. Visit Databases A-Z for a full list.

Subject Headings for Africa

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) are an example of "controlled vocabularies," or sets of identifying terms that can help you locate and access resources based on particular topics and themes assigned by library catalogers. Although they can be tremendously useful for research and discovery, controlled vocabularies in general and LCSH in particular also often include harmful and/or outdated language to describe marginalized people, places, and topics. For additional background and context, see Celeste Brewer, "On Outdated and Harmful Language in Library of Congress Subject Headings," Columbia University Rare Book & Manuscript Library blog, October 19, 2021.  

Using a critical approach, consider using some of the following Subject Headings when doing historical research on topics pertaining to Africa: 

  • Pan-Africanism
  • Pan-African Movement
  • Angola
  • Mozambique
  • Cape Verde
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • São Tomé e Príncipe
  • Revolution
  • FRELIMO
  • MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola)
  • UN Committee on Decolonization
  • Zimbabwe ZAPU '2' : Zimbabwe African People's Union
  • International Conference in Support of the Peoples of Portuguese Colonies
  • ​​Amilcar Cabral
  • Agostinho Neto
  • Mario Pinto de Andrade
Use the "Advanced Search" option in BruKnow and select "Subject" from the drop down menu in "Search Filters" to search by Subject Heading.