Marissa Evans, Author at

Independent Historian

Marissa K. Evans is a Geography major and African Studies minor at the University of Washington. Her focus in geography is in development and immigration, and she enjoys making connections between these two fields of study. She is originally from Sun Valley, Idaho, but has loved living in Seattle for the past four years. One of her passions is working with children, and she hopes to attain a Master’s Degree in education to eventually become an elementary school teacher.

Kofi A. Annan (1938-2018)

Kofi Atta Annan, born on April 8, 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana, served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) between 1997 and 2006. He was the first person of African descent to hold that post. Annan grew up in Kumasi but attended Mfantsipim School, … Read MoreKofi A. Annan (1938-2018)

(1967) The Arusha Declaration

The Arusha Declaration, which was passed on January 29, 1967, summarized Tanzania’s commitment to socialism and the significant role that it was to play in the country’s development. The document was originally written by Julius K. Nyerere, who served as the first president of Tanzania … Read More(1967) The Arusha Declaration

Kenneth Kaunda (1924- )

Kenneth Kaunda, who served as Zambia‘s first president from October 24, 1966, to November 2, 1991, was born on April 28, 1924, in Lubwa, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia’s name as a colony of Great Britain). Born as the eighth child to David and Helen Kaunda, they … Read MoreKenneth Kaunda (1924- )

Charles M. Taylor (1948- )

Charles McArthur Taylor, born on January 28, 1948, in Arthington, Liberia, served as the president of Liberia from August 2, 1997, to August 11, 2003. Born to Nelson and Bernice Taylor, his mother was part of the Gola tribe, and his father was claimed to … Read MoreCharles M. Taylor (1948- )

Aba Women’s Riots (November-December 1929)

The “riots” or the war, led by women in the provinces of Calabar and Owerri in southeastern Nigeria in November and December of 1929, became known as the “Aba Women’s Riots of 1929” in British colonial history, or as the “Women’s War” in Igbo history. … Read MoreAba Women’s Riots (November-December 1929)

Darfur Genocide (2003- )

Children in Darfur Refugee Camp, 2007 International Rescue Committee Image Ownership: Public Domain While the country of Sudan has experienced a number of violent conflicts since its independence from Great Britain in 1956, the region of Darfur, which is located in western Sudan, caught the … Read MoreDarfur Genocide (2003- )

Pan Africanist Congress of Azania

The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) was officially established on April 5-6, 1959 with the goal of ending white domination in South Africa and returning the land to its original and rightful owners. The PAC came into being after a group of African National Congress (ANC) … Read MorePan Africanist Congress of Azania

South African Students’ Organization (SASO)

The South African Students’ Organization (SASO) emerged in 1968 as a unique group that re-established opposition to the South African government’s apartheid system “aboveground,” as opposed to other black resistance movements that previously had been forced to operate underground. Until the creation of SASO in … Read MoreSouth African Students’ Organization (SASO)

Sharpeville Massacre

The Sharpeville Massacre occurred on March 21, 1960, in the township of Sharpeville, South Africa. The incident resulted in the largest number of South African deaths (up to that point) in a protest against apartheid. It also came to symbolize that struggle. Sharpeville, a black … Read MoreSharpeville Massacre

Apartheid (1948-1994)

Apartheid is the name of the racial institution that was established in 1948 by the National Party that governed South Africa until 1994. The term, which literally means “apartness,” reflected a violently repressive policy designed to ensure that whites, who comprised 20% of the nation’s … Read MoreApartheid (1948-1994)