Decolonization and New Nations

1950 – 2000

In the second half of the 20th century, countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe gained independence from colonial or foreign rule. Decolonization and the end of Soviet dominance created new nations, reshaping the world map and presenting opportunities and challenges for self-governance.

Kwame Nkrumah’s Midnight Speech for Independence

Powerful picture book about Ghanan independence and pan-Africanism

Wangari Maathai

Lovely picture book about a female conservationist during the struggle for Kenyan independence

Kampung Boy

Playful comic about a boy growing up in a changing Malaysia in the 1950s

The Mzungu Boy

Story of the adventures of a Kenyan boy and his British friend in a changing Kenya

The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

Memoir of a Bosnian teen turned refugee during the Serbian conflict

Far from Home

Story of two girls, separated by time but united by Zimbabwean history

Burn My Heart

Story of two boys’ friendship in Kenya during the struggle for independence

Zlata’s Diary

Real diary of a girl in wartime Sarajevo during the Bosnian War

Three Summers

Memoir about young cousins coming of age during the lead-in to the Bosnian Genocide

Flowers for Sarajevo

Picture book about a boy impacted by the Bosnian War

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