What's up with Africa?

So what is up with Africa? I've never been to that continent, but always have believed I would go someday. I believe, despite my age and financial report, that I will visit all the continents before I die. Maybe not all the countries, but at least the continents. I was amazed years ago, when I first saw an accurately drawn world map, to see how huge Africa is. All of Europe would fit snugly in one little bulge of the dark continent. Despite the huge desert, the place is rich in minerals, forests, water, diamonds, gold, oil. So why is the history of the world written so far away from Africa? Europe/US/China sure, stuff is known. But once we get beyond ancient Egypt, what happened to Africa? But I must say, when I dream of Africa, I dream of pyramids along the Nile, vast savannas, lions and elephants and hippos (oh my), Victoria falls, colorful black people living their lives, etc. The usual picture postcards. But it seems every day I am confronted on the news by horrific images of machete wielding bad guys chopping off parts of screaming victims, stories of tortured and drugged children forced into soldier roles, heads of state whose main role in life is to starve and kill the people over whom they rule. And of course, none of that even begins to touch the whole Israel Palestine thing, or the oil barons in their palaces, AIDS epidemics, starvation and disease on an epic scale or the wholesale oppression and ownership/mutilation/killing of African women. I am not a big fan of the whole British Empire and South African Dutch history what with the white guys oppressing the black guys, but I have to say, the last few decades sure haven't been a gold star on the charts for the innate ability of an entire continent of black guys to get it together. I just don't get it. Africa is purportedly the cradle of civilization. Great nations originated there. What the hell happened? Isn't there any shining light that will let me know that Zimbabwe strongmen, Idi Amin, Kenyan killers, Hutu/Tutsi slaughters, etcetcetc are just anomolies and not the stuff that the whole continent is made of?? I weep.