The following are short descriptions of individuals, places and events which have contributed to the shaping of African American history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
Aristides Maria Pereira, the son of Porfirio Pereira Tavares and Maria das Neves Crus Silva, was the first President of Cape Verde. He was born on November 17, 1923 in Boa Vista, Cape Verde. At the time of his birth, Cape Verde, ten islands off … Read MoreAristides Pereira (1923-2011)
El-Ouali Mustafa Sayed was the first president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (formerly known as Spanish Sahara or Western Sahara). Sayed was born in 1948. Bir Lehlou has been cited as his birthplace. Other authorities believe he was born in a nomad encampment on … Read MoreEl-Ouali Mustafa Sayed (1948-1976)
King Sobhuza II was the first ruler of independent Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). He was born on July 22, 1899 at Zombodze in the British protectorate of Swaziland. His parents were Inkhosikati Lomawa Ndwandwe and King Ngwane V. He was given the name Nkhotfotjni. On September … Read MoreKing Sobhuza II (1899-1982)
Frederick Eutrope Degazon was a Dominican politician who served as the country’s first president from 1979 to 1980. He was born on January 4, 1913 in Castries, St Lucia. Degazon attended St. Mary’s College, St. Lucia and studied law at the University of London. He … Read MoreFred Degazon (1913-2008)
Herbert Augustus Blaize was a Grenadian politician and leader of the Grenada National Party. When Grenada was still a British Crown Colony, he served as First Chief Minister from 1960 to 1961 and again from 1962 to 1967. In 1967, he briefly became the first … Read MoreHerbert Blaize (1918-1989)
The Honorable Philip Edward “Brave” Davis, the fifth Prime Minister of The Bahamas and litigation lawyer, was born June 7, 1951, in Cat Island to Brave Edward Davis, a firefighter from Old Bight, Cat Island, and Dorothy Smith Davis, a housekeeper from Alexander, Great Exuma. … Read MorePhilip Edward “Brave” Davis (1951- )
Vere Cornwall Bird, the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, is a national hero of this Caribbean nation. Vere Cornwall Bird was born in New Street, St John’s, Antigua on December 7, 1910, the fourth child of Edghill and Theophilus Bird at a time … Read MoreVere Bird (1910-1999)
The current king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, was born in Rabat, Morocco on August 21, 1963. His parents were King Hassan II, and his wife, Lalla Latifa. Prince Mohammed attended primary and secondary school at the Royal Palace College in Rabat. He then attended the … Read MoreMohammed VI (1963- )
The current president of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, was born on February 9, 1959 at Mueda, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. His parents were Jacinto Nyusi Chimela and Angelina Daima. Both of his parents were active members of the Frente de Libertaco de Mozambique (FRELIMO), an African … Read MoreFilipe Jacinto Nyusi (1959- )
Mohamed Bazoum was sworn in as the president of Niger on April 2, 2021. Bazoum was born on January 1, 1960 at Bilabrine, Cercle N’guigme in Niger. His family were members of the Diffa Arab minority. He attended local schools in Niger. He then studied … Read MoreMohamed Bazoum (1960- )
