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.
Omar Bongo was President of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009, over 42 years, and thus ruled longer than any other African leader. Bongo was born in the Beteke region of Gabon on December 10, 1935. He was the youngest of twelve children … Read MoreOmar/Albert-Bernard Bongo (1935-2009)
Jerry John Rawlings, former military and political leader in Ghana, was twice head of state, and twice toppled unstable Ghanaian governments. He was born in Accra on June 22, 1947 to Scottish pharmacist James Ramsay John and Ghanaian mother Victoria Agbotui although he was never … Read MoreJerry Rawlings (1947- 2020)
São Tomé, an African plantation society and slave trading post, lies in the Gulf of Guinea. First discovered around 1470, São Tomé was not officially settled until the 1490s by Portuguese explorer Alvaro Caminha, who received the island as a land grant from the Portuguese … Read MoreSão Tomé Island
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)
The Republic of Biafra was a short-lived Nigerian secessionist state which came into existence on May 30, 1967 when the Igbo-dominated southeastern corner of Nigeria seceded in the formation of its own independent country. Following its defeat in the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), on January … Read MoreRepublic of Biafra (1967-1970)
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- )
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)
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 … Read MoreBattle of Isandlwana (1879)
Kenule, or Ken, Saro-Wiwa was an environmental activist, author, and television producer. He was born in Bori, a small town in the Niger Delta; his father, Jim Wiwa, was a chief of the Ogoni people, an ethnic minority in the Delta region. He received the … Read MoreKenule “Ken” Beeson Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995)
Dr. François Duvalier, also known as “Papa Doc,” was the president of Haiti from 1957 to 1971. His regime was notorious for its autocratic and corrupt rule. Born on April 14, 1907 in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, François Duvalier was the son of Duval Duvalier … Read MoreFrançois “Papa Doc” Duvalier (1907-1971)
