Black History Month is almost upon us. That means its time for another edition of Kandace Presents. This upcoming edition will focus on an overview of the history of West Africa in general, particularly the Western Sudan, a region that has recently been in the news. The cities of Djenne, Gao and Timbuktu are no longer just Black Studies trivia but the backdrop for pitched battles that have drawn in French troops and American political interest. It's not far fetched to speculate that America may soon have "boots on the ground" there in significant numbers. A brief summation of ther history of the region will be informative. Comments are welcome.