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.
Théodore Chassériau was perhaps one of the most talented but less celebrated artists of the 19th century. Born on September 20, 1819 in El Limón, a provincial town in the Dominican Republic, Chassériau was the son of Benoît Chassériau, a French diplomat and bureaucrat, and … Read MoreThéodore Chassériau (1819-1856)
Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a teenage cellist who performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. Born on April 4, 1999, Kanneh-Mason grew up in Nottingham, England with his six siblings. His father Stuart Mason worked as a … Read MoreSheku Kanneh-Mason (1999- )
Kandake Amanirenas was a queen of the ancient African Kingdom of Kush who was best known for skillfully defending her kingdom against the armies of the Roman Empire. Amanirenas was probably born between 60 and 50 B.C. and was the second of the eight Kandakes … Read MoreKandake Amanirenas (?-10 BC)
Francisca Van Dunem (née Francisca Eugénia da Silva Dias Van Dunem), an attorney and politician, became the first person of African-descent to serve as a cabinet minister in Portugal. Born on November 5, 1955 in Luanda, Angola, Van Dunem was one of six children born … Read MoreFrancisca Van Dunem (1955- )
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)
Folorunso 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- )
