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.
The details of the birth and appearance of Russian shipbuilder and military Gen. Mikhail M. Egypteos remain uncertain. There are two competing stories: One is that as a teenager from an aristocratic Ethiopian family he was taken, perhaps by force, to the Russian Empire by … Read MoreMikhail Milhailovich Egypteos (1861-1932)
The astonishing appearance of a high-ranking Black military officer in late 18th century Poland who led troops across Europe and in the Caribbean is further evidence of the breadth of the African diaspora. The product of an illicit affair in Paris between British-born Princess Maria … Read MoreWladyslaw Franciszek Jablonowski (1769-1802)
The rapper and record producer best known by his stage name, Slick Rick, was born Richard Martin Lloyd Walters on January 14, 1965, in London, England. His parents were immigrants from Jamaica. His mother’s name is Veronica but his father’s name is unknown. Walters was … Read MoreSlick Rick/Richard Walters (1965- )
Johnny Kemp was an R&B singer best known for his 1988 song “Just Got Paid.” He was born in Nassau, Bahamas, on August 2, 1959. His earliest musical experiences came in 1972 when Kemp began performing in local Nassau nightclubs. In 1979, Kemp moved to … Read MoreJohnny Kemp (1959-2015)
Nestor Alexander Haddaway is a Eurodance artist, best known for his 1993 smash hit “What Is Love?” Haddaway was born in Trinidad and Tobago on January 9, 1965. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a marine biologist. Following the separation of his … Read MoreNestor Alexander Haddaway (1965- )
English actress, singer and songwriter Cynthia Onyedinamanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo was born in Stockwell, London, England, on January 8, 1987. Both of her parents were immigrants from Nigeria and separated when Erivo was very young. Her mother, Edith, worked as a nurse and raised Erivo and … Read MoreCynthia Erivo (1987- )
Ziggy Marley is a Jamaican Grammy award-winning reggae musician, singer, and philanthropist. Marley was born in the Trench Town section of Kingston, Jamaica, on October 17, 1968, to parents and famed reggae artists Robert “Bob” Nesta and Alpharita “Rita” Constantia (Anderson) Marley. Ziggy’s family features … Read MoreDavid Nesta “Ziggy” Marley (1968- )
Political novelist Al-Tayyib Salih, whose family background was both Arab and Nubian, was one of Sudan’s most significant authors of the 20th century. He was born on July 12, 1929, in Marawi, Sudan, to a poor Muslim farming family and was an only child. In … Read MoreAl-Tayyib Salih (1929-2009)
Composer, master pianist Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernández, known by the stage name Bola de Nieve, was born Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernández on September 11, 1911, in Guanabacoa, Cuba, to Domingo Villa, a chef, and Inés Fernández, a professional rumba dancer. The couple had 12 children. … Read MoreIgnacio Jacinto Villa Fernández (1911-1971)
In the Czech Republic in 2011, the literary event of the year was the publication of a novel by Afro-Czech writer Tomáš Zmeškal, who was born in the capital city of Prague. He is the son of Czech citizen Anna Zmeškal, a multilingual office worker, … Read MoreTomáš Zmeškal (1966- )
