The following are short descriptions of the women and men who have contributed to the shaping of Global African 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.
Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim is a Nigerian director, screenwriter and producer extoled for her depiction of LGBTQ+ lives in a humane light. Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim was born in Lagos, Nigeria on June 7, 1989, to Patrick Ikpe-Etim, a federal civil servant who worked with the Central Bank of … Read MoreUyaiedu Ikpe-Etim (1989- )
Aminatou Ali Ahmed Haidar is a Sahrawi human rights activist and a supporter of the independence of Western Sahara. Haidar was born on July 24, 1966 to Ali Haidar and Darya Mohamed in Akka, Morocco. Growing up, seven-year-old Haidar was introduced to the Sahrawi Liberation … Read MoreAminatou Ali Ahmed Haidar (1966- )
Bisila Bokoko, the award-winning entrepreneur, philanthropist, women’s advocate, and global leadership speaker, was born Bisila África Bokoko Toichoa in Valencia, Spain, in 1974. Her international roots trace back to her Equatorial Guinean parents, Bwelalele Bokoko, a lawyer, and María Ángeles, a nurse. This diverse background … Read MoreBisila Bokoko (1974- )
Author, playwright, poet, academic, and feminist Ama Ata Aidoo, a towering figure in African Literature, was born Christina Ama Ata Aidoo on March 23, 1942, in Abeadzi Kyiakor, Gold Coast, now Ghana, to Nana Yaw Fama, chief of Abeadzi Kyiakor, and Maame Abasema. She had … Read MoreAma Ata Aidoo (1942- 2023)
A retired former featherweight world champion with two world title wins, Legrá, known for his speed and agility in the ring, José Legrá, a 5-foot, 6-inch boxer and resident of Spain, was born José Adolfo Legrá Utría in Baracoa, Provincia de Guantánamo, Cuba, on April … Read MoreJosé Legrá (1943- )
Francine Gálvez, a multi-talented actress, journalist, and newscaster, holds the distinction of being the first Black woman to anchor a news program in Europe. That achievement came when she took on the role at Televisión Española (TVE) as anchor of the weekend edition of Telediario … Read MoreFrancine Gálvez (1966- )
Jeanne Martin Cissé was a Guinean teacher and nationalist politician. Cissé was born on April 6, 1926 to Darricau Martin Cissé and Damaye Soumah in Kankan, Guinea. She attended the Ecole Normale de Rufisque, a teacher-training institute for women in Dakar, Senegal, where she trained … Read MoreJeanne Martin Cissé (1926-2017)
Christian Uzoma Onyeji Sr., a composer, ethnomusicologist, and pianist, is deeply dedicated to promoting classical music drawn from Nigerian-based content and methodology. Born on August 15, 1967, in Imo State, Nigeria, he carries on the musical legacy of his paternal grandfather, an Igbo master Oja … Read MoreChristian Uzoma Onyeji (1967- )
On August 7, 2022, Francia Márquez became the first Black woman to be elected Vice President of Colombia. The following year, she was also sworn in as Minister of Women and Equality in the Cabinet of Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Marquez, a noted social activist … Read MoreFrancia Márquez (1981- )
Educator, political campaigner, and women’s rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was born Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Olufela Folorunso Thomas on October 25, 1900, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, to prominent farmer Chief Daniel Olumeyuwa Thomas and dressmaker Lucretia Phyllis Omoyeni Adeosolu. Ransome-Kuti was one of only six girls admitted … Read MoreFunmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978)
