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.
Senegalese scholar and scientist Awa Marie Coll Seck was born on January 1, 1951 in Dakar, Senegal. Dr. Awa Marie Coll Seck works in the field of health and disease prevention in her native country and internationally. After earning a degree in medicine from the … Read MoreAwa Marie Coll Seck (1951- )
Emperor Menelik II was one of Ethiopia’s greatest leaders, ruling as King and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889 to 1913. He was born Sahle Miriam on August 17, 1884, in Ankober, Shewa, Ethiopia. His mother, Woizero Ejigayehu Lemma Adyamo, was a palace servant, and his … Read MoreEmperor Menelik II (Sahle Miriam) (1844-1913)
Hannibal Barca stands as one of the great military leaders of the pre-Christian era. He was born in Carthage (present day Tunisia) in 247 B.C.E. His father Hamilcar was the political leader of Carthage and led the city-state in the 23-year first Punic War (264-241 … Read MoreHannibal Barca (247 B.C.E.-183 B.C.E.)
Rapelang Rabana, telecommunications entrepreneur, was born in Gaborone, Botswana in 1982. Her early school years were spent in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, before moving to Johannesburg, South Africa where she attended Roedean School. Rabana graduated with honors from the University of Cape Town in … Read MoreRapelang Rabana (1982- )
Yaa Asantewaa was an influential Ashanti queen at the beginning of the twentieth century who remains a powerful symbol today. Her birthdate is contested; she is generally believed to be born between the 1840s to 1860s in the Ashanti Confederacy in present-day Ghana. She was a skilled farmer before ascending … Read MoreYaa Asantewaa (mid-1800s-1921)
Yamoussoukro is currently the de jure capital of the nation of Cote d’Ivoire. The city had a population of 242,744 people in 2010. Yamoussoukro is located 274 km, or 170 miles, from the country’s de facto capital, Abidjan, where most of the government offices and … Read MoreYamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire (1909- )
Laura Richardson was the Democratic representative for California’s 37th congressional district. She served from 2007 to 2012. Richardson was born in Los Angeles on April 14, 1962, to a black father and white mother. Her mother Maryann Richardson, who was a member of the Teamsters … Read MoreLaura Richardson (1962- )
Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman who is involved in various industries such as fashion, oil, and printing. She is best known for being one of the richest black women in the world. Alakija was born in Ikorodu, Lagos State on July 15, 1951. She … Read MoreFolorunso Alakija (1951- )
Paulette Nardal was one of the founders of the Negritude intellectual movement. Nardal was born on October 12, 1896 in Saint-Pierre, Martinique, to Paul Nardal, the first black engineer in Public Works on the island, and Louise (Achille) Nardal. Paulette was the eldest of seven … Read MorePaulette Nardal (1896-1985)
Franciscus “Franc” Max Weerwind is the first black mayor of a major city in the Netherlands; moreover, he has been the mayor of three cities in that nation. The younger of the two sons of immigrant parents who arrived in the Netherlands in 1959, his … Read MoreFranc Weerwind (1964- )