1950 – 2000
In the second half of the 20th century, many countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe gained independence after decades of colonial rule or foreign control. In Africa and Asia, European empires crumbled, leading to the birth of new nations as people fought for freedom and self-governance. In Eastern Europe, the end of Soviet dominance after the Cold War led to the emergence of new, independent countries. This period of decolonization and national independence reshaped the world map and brought new challenges and opportunities as these nations sought to establish their own identities and futures.
Kwame Nkrumah’s Midnight Speech for Independence
Powerful picture book about Ghanan independence and pan-Africanism
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Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted a Million Trees
Lovely picture book about a female conservationist during the struggle for Kenyan independence
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Kampung Boy
Playful comic about a boy growing up in a changing Malaysia in the 1950s
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The Mzungu Boy
Story of the adventures of a Kenyan boy and his British friend in a changing Kenya
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The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival
Memoir of a Bosnian teen turned refugee during the Serbian conflict
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Far from Home
Story of two girls, separated by time but united by Zimbabwean history
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Burn My Heart
Story of two boys’ friendship in Kenya during the struggle for independence
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Zlata’s Diary
Real diary of a girl in wartime Sarajevo during the Bosnian War
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Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War
Memoir about young cousins coming of age during the lead-in to the Bosnian Genocide
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Flowers for Sarajevo
Picture book about a boy impacted by the Bosnian War
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