John Edmonstone was a Guyanese-born enslaved person and taxidermist who later became a taxidermy teacher in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edmonstone was best known as a mentor of young Charles Robert Darwin, who would become a renowned naturalist and geologist. Edmonstone was born into slavery on a … Read MoreJohn Edmonstone (? – ?)
Percy Chen, an Afro-Trinidadian Chinese lawyer, businessman, and political activist, was a founding member of the Hong Kong Bar Association. Born in Belmont, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in 1901, he was the eldest of his parents’ seven children. His father, Eugene Chen, a Chinese lawyer … Read MorePercy Chen (1901-1989)
In August of 1925, Ladipo Solanke, a Nigerian law student, and Herbert Bankole-Bright, a Sierra Leonean doctor, founded the West African Students’ Union (WASU) in the Camden Town section of London, England. WASU eventually become a powerful influence in both British and West African politics … Read MoreWest African Students’ Union (WASU)
Joseph Leabua Jonathan was the first Prime Minister of independent Lesotho. He was born on October 30, 1914, in Leribe, Basutoland now Lesotho), one of the many great-grandchildren of the polygamous King Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basuto nation. His parents were Jonathan Ramanemane Molapo and ‘Makatiso … Read MoreJoseph Leabua Jonathan (1914-1987)
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, a lawyer, was born of Hindu heritage on December 25, 1961, in Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius, to Anerood Jugnauth, the Prime Minister of Mauritius who served more than 18 years in that office, and Sarojini Jugnauth, an elementary school teacher. He … Read MorePravind Kumar Jugnauth
(1961- )
The current king of Lesotho, Letsie III, was born on July 17, 1963, in Scott Hospital in the city of Morija, Lesotho. He was the son of King Moshoeshoe II and his wife ‘Mamohato Bereing Seeiso and named Seeso Bereng but christened “David” in the … Read MoreKing Letsie III (1963- )
Constantine Bereng Seeiso, the future King Moshoeshoe II, was born on May 2, 1938, at Thabang, Basutoland (then a British Protectorate which is known as Lesotho today). He was the eldest son of Paramount Chief Seeiso (Simon Seeiso Griffith) and Mofumali Mabereng. He was educated … Read MoreKing Moshoeshoe II (1938-1996)
The current king of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is Mswati III. He was born on April 19, 1968, in Manzini, the largest city in what was then called Swaziland. Mswati was named Makhosetive Dlamini (King of Nations). His parents were King Sobhuza II and Ntfombi Tfabla, … Read MoreMswati III
(1986- )
Gaston Alfonso Browne is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been at the helm of the country since 2014. Before entering politics, he was a banker and businessman. Gaston Alphonso Browne was born in Antigua on February 9, 1967. As a child, … Read MoreGaston Browne (1967- )
Ralph Everard Gonsalves or “Uncle Ralph,” also known as “Comrade Ralph,” is the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and leader of the Unity Labour Party (ULP). Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority in government at the 2001 general … Read MoreRalph Gonsalves (1946- )
