Historical Dictionary of United States-Africa Relations (Historical Dictionaries of U. S. Diplomacy)

The image of Africa among Americans at the beginning of the 21st century is tragic; America's image among Africans is of a place that is splendid but arrogant and unfeeling. Both have large elements of truth. Poverty, coups, corruption, pandemic disease, and tribal, racial, and religious violence are all too common in Africa. So too is Americans' lack of concern about the people of a continent that suffers from these tragedies, as well as their government's support for African governments that treat their people as prey instead of citizens. The Historical Dictionary of United States-Africa Relations encompasses the relationship between the two from the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the George W. Bush administration, with particular emphasis on the Cold War. It focuses on political and economic aspects of the relationship and includes cultural relations. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on key persons, places, events, institutions, and organizations. "The image of Africa among Americans at the beginning of the 21st century is tragic; America's image among Africans is of a place that is splendid but arrogant and unfeeling. Both have large elements of truth. Poverty; coups; corruption; pandemic disease; and tribal, racial, and religious violence are all too common in Africa. So too is America's lack of concern about the people who suffer these tragedies, as well as government support for regimes that treat their people as prey instead of citizens." "This Historical Dictionary of United States-Africa Relations encompasses the relationship between the United States and the continent of Africa, from the transatlantic slave trade to the George W. Bush administration, with particular emphasis on the cold war. It focuses on politics, economics, and culture through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on key people, places, events, institutions, and organizations."--Jacket.