Colonialism and the rise of African emancipation movements have been central themes of B Davidsons's work.
He is an Honorary Fellow of the London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Since 1951, he became a well known authority on African history, an unfashionable subject in the 1950s. His writings have emphasised the pre-colonial achievements of Africans, the disastrous effects of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the further damage inflicted on Africa by European colonialism and the baleful effects of the Nation State in Africa.
Davidson's works are required reading in many British universities. He is globally recognized as an expert on African History.