Alys Beverton, Author at • Page 2 of 3

Independent Historian

Alys Beverton is an undergraduate at the University of Sussex, England, with a particular interest in African American history. She is currently attending the University of Washington, Seattle, as an exchange student for one year. Upon completion of her degree in 2010, she hopes to continue on in academics and pursue a master’s degree in American history.

Dinah Washington (Ruth Lee Jones) (1924-1963)

Dinah Washington, legendary singer and ‘Queen of the Blues,’ was born Ruth Lee Jones on August 29, 1924. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama she moved with her family to Chicago as a young child. Music was in Washington’s family, her mother was a pianist in St. … Read MoreDinah Washington (Ruth Lee Jones) (1924-1963)

Koko Taylor (Cora Walton), (1928-2009)

Koko Taylor, dubbed the “Queen of the Blues,” was one of the most revered female blues singers in history. She was born Cora Walton on September 28, 1928 in Bartlett, Tennessee to sharecropper parents who nicknamed her Koko for her love of chocolate. It was … Read MoreKoko Taylor (Cora Walton), (1928-2009)

Maji Maji Uprising (1905-1907)

The Maji Maji Uprising in Tanganyika was the most significant African challenge to German colonial rule during the brief period when Germany had African colonies. The Uprising lasted two years and involved people over 10,000 square miles. During the “scramble for Africa” that began with … Read MoreMaji Maji Uprising (1905-1907)

Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (1928- )

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu Chief and one of the founders of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), was born August 27, 1928 in Mahlabathinni, Natal. He was a descendent of the Zulu royal family, his mother being the granddaughter of King Cetshwayo. Buthelezi attended Impumalanga Primary School … Read MoreMangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (1928- )

Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931-2021)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, leader of the South African Anglican Church for ten years and campaigner against apartheid in South Africa, was born on October 7th, 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. When he was 12 years old he moved to Johannesburg where Tutu attended the Johannesburg Bantu High School. He then trained as a teacher at … Read MoreBishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931-2021)

Battle of Isandlwana (1879)

The Battle of Isandlwana, January 22, 1879, was the first engagement of the Anglo-Zulu War and would prove to be a significant and unexpected victory for the Zulu in a war which they ultimately lost to the British. Since the British arrival in South Africa at … Read MoreBattle of Isandlwana (1879)

Recaptives

Recaptives, or Liberated Africans, were slaves freed by the British Royal Navy, which intercepted illegal slaving ships leaving Africa after the 1808 Act of Parliament ended the British slave trade. Although the slave trade had officially ended, the enterprise was so profitable that many individuals … Read MoreRecaptives

Bishop Samuel Adjai Crowther (1809-1891)

Samuel Adjai (or Ajayi) Crowther was the first bishop of Niger and the first Black bishop in the Anglican Church. As a teen, he was abducted into slavery then traded and sold a number of times before being rescued by Anglican missionaries. He went on … Read MoreBishop Samuel Adjai Crowther (1809-1891)

James Africanus Beale Horton (1835-1883)

James Horton, African surgeon, soldier and nationalist, challenged prevailing views on the inferiority of Africans and proposed ideologies for African self-government. His philosophies became the basis for future African independence. Horton was born in British colonial Sierra Leone outside of Freetown, the son of former … Read MoreJames Africanus Beale Horton (1835-1883)

African Union (2002- )

The African Union (AU) is an alliance of 53 African states that aim to advance and integrate Africa as a continent. The Union was created on September 9, 1999 when the Sirte Declaration was put forward by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which proposed … Read MoreAfrican Union (2002- )