Is there a way to have my bags ticketed to my final destination when I check-in in Africa without having to stop and have it rechecked to my final destination at the first airport I hit in the USA?
No. All passengers entering the US from anywhere have to clear Immigrations and Customs when they first arrive on US soil. (There are a few exceptions, such as clearance in Canada before boarding a US-bound flight.)
One way to manage the problem is to arrange flights so that you first land on US soil at your destination.
Eg if you start in Paris and end up in Los Angeles:
Fly Paris - London - Los Angeles
Insead of
Paris - New York - Los Angeles