I just became aware of this. I did not come across this information when I visited Timbuktu in 1988.
"Les Juifs de Tombouctou" by Ismaël Diadié Haïdara. After the Spaniards expelled the Jews in 1492, a group made its way to northern Mali (at the time, part of the Songhay Empire) and established a Jewish community in Timbuktu. Eventually they converted to Islam, but to this day are known as "the Jews." Apparently they suffered no adverse effects when the area was recently taken over by al Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb.
Haïdara discovered that he is a descendant of these people, and conducted the research that led to this book. The Haïdaras are a notable family of Timbuktu, comparable to the Cabot family of Boston.
In the 1860s, Rabbi Aby Serour led a separate group of Jewish traders who lived in Timbuktu for a few years.
One of my friends, a librarian, linked me to a form for requesting a scan from the National Library of Israel, which has a copy. So I am eagerly awaiting their reply.
