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in what ways was he positive or negative towards africans?

In general, he's not condescending towards Africans.  Marlow has traveled the world and recognizes the difference between a people being technologically advanced and morally advanced.  He starts off his tale with the story of the Romans coming to Britain as a comparison to Europeans in Africa, in which he calls the Britons savages.  On the trip to the Congo, he notes which group of people belong there and which don't.  He scoff's at his aunt's and others' ideas of bringing civilization to the "savages".  The only Africans he seems to hold in contempt are the semi-Europeanized ones such as the chain gang guard, the accountant's servant, the path guard and the ones on his river boat.  Marlow even gains respect for the cannibals because Marlow knows the pain of starvation and is amazed the cannibals can show such self-restraint.  The ones Marlow really looks down on are the Europeans.  There are only a few in the entire book that he has any good words for.