Ages 5–8
First Stories
Big heroes, simple words.
Short, read-aloud versions of the heroes and proverbs, picked for courage, kindness, and cleverness a young child can hold onto.
Heroes
Yaa Asantewaa
Queen Mother who led the War of the Golden Stool
When the men of the Ashanti Empire hesitated to fight British colonizers, the Queen Mother of Ejisu picked up a rifle herself and led them into war.
Read the story →Sundiata Keita
The Lion Prince who founded the Mali Empire
Exiled as a sickly child and mocked by rivals, Sundiata Keita returned to unite the Mandinka kingdoms and found the empire that would make Mansa Musa's wealth possible.
Read the story →Proverbs
“Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi.”
“However long the night, the dawn will break.”
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”
History
The Mali Empire's Golden Age
Founded by Sundiata Keita and expanded under rulers like Mansa Musa, the Mali Empire became one of the largest and wealthiest empires in world history, built on gold, salt, and Saharan trade.
Explore →The Kingdom of Aksum
A major trading power connecting Africa, Arabia, and the Mediterranean, Aksum minted its own currency, raised towering stone stelae, and became one of the first states in the world to adopt Christianity.
Explore →Great Zimbabwe
The stone capital of a powerful Shona trading kingdom, Great Zimbabwe's massive dry-stone walls — built without mortar — stand today as one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most significant archaeological sites.
Explore →The Kingdom of Kush and the Nubian Pyramids
South of Egypt along the Nile, the Kingdom of Kush built more pyramids than Egypt itself and, in the 25th dynasty, its kings ruled as pharaohs over Egypt.
Explore →The Kingdom of Benin and Its Bronze Casters
A powerful West African kingdom famed for its walled capital and the extraordinary bronze and brass plaques its artisans cast to record centuries of royal history.
Explore →