History in Africa may be read, told, and recorded in cloth. African Fashion tells stories and African clothing has a vibrant and interesting history to match its bright and bold textiles. This history is thought to stretch back 75,000 years. Although tracking the evolution of African styles can be difficult, ancient art gives us hints about the textiles used. The African fabric industry is very old.  I will take you on a short journey from my exploration of the history of African fashion and textiles from the 12th Century to the 21st Century. Emphasis is on how these findings have shaped African American fashion over time. Throughout Africa, there are many distinctive styles, techniques, dyeing methods, and decorative and functional purposes. These textiles hold cultural significance and have merit in historical documents of African design.