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Africa in the Modern Era historical figures

Explore historical figures who lived in Africa in the Modern Era. Read concise biographies, learn key facts, and play a quiz focused on this collection.

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49 figures

Portrait of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

South Africa · 1918–2013

President & anti-apartheid leader

Portrait of Emperor Haile Selassie

Haile Selassie

Ethiopia · 1892–1975

Emperor of Ethiopia

Portrait of Jomo Kenyatta

Jomo Kenyatta

Kenya · c. 1897–1978

First President of Kenya

Portrait of Kwame Nkrumah

Kwame Nkrumah

Ghana · 1909–1972

First President of Ghana

Photograph of Idi Amin at the United Nations

Idi Amin

Uganda · c. 1925–2003

Dictator of Uganda

Photograph of Chinua Achebe from 1966

Chinua Achebe

Nigeria · 1930–2013

Novelist & critic

Photograph of Wole Soyinka in 2018

Wole Soyinka

Nigeria · born 1934

Playwright, poet & novelist

Portrait of Simon Kimbangu

Simon Kimbangu

DR Congo · 1887–1951

Religious leader

Official portrait of Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwe · 1924–2019

Revolutionary & head of state

Photograph of Léopold Sédar Senghor

Léopold Sédar Senghor

Senegal · 1906–2001

First President of Senegal & poet

Photograph of Patrice Lumumba from 1960

Patrice Lumumba

DR Congo · 1925–1961

Independence leader

Portrait of Samora Machel

Samora Machel

Mozambique · 1933–1986

President of Mozambique

Portrait of Julius Nyerere

Julius Nyerere

Tanzania · 1922–1999

President of Tanzania

Portrait of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia

Menelik II

Ethiopia · 1844–1913

Emperor of Ethiopia

Portrait of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu

South Africa · 1931–2021

Anglican Archbishop and anti-apartheid activist

Photograph of Steve Biko

Steve Biko

South Africa · 1946–1977

Anti-apartheid activist

Statue of Yaa Asantewaa at the Yaa Asantewaa Museum in Ejisu, Ghana

Yaa Asantewaa

Ghana · c. 1840–1921

Ashanti queen mother and military leader

Photograph of Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti

Nigeria · 1938–1997

Musician and activist

Photograph of Abebe Bikila

Abebe Bikila

Ethiopia · 1932–1973

Marathon runner

Photograph of Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba

South Africa · 1932–2008

Singer and activist

Photograph of Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour

Senegal · born 1959

Musician and politician

Photograph of Toumani Diabaté

Toumani Diabaté

Mali · 1965–2024

Musician

Historical portrait of Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar

Ranavalona I

Madagascar · 1778–1861

Queen of Madagascar

Historical portrait of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia

Tewodros II

Ethiopia · c. 1818–1868

Emperor of Ethiopia

Portrait of Mobutu Sese Seko

Mobutu Sese Seko

DR Congo · 1930–1997

President of Zaire

Photograph of Thomas Sankara

Thomas Sankara

Burkina Faso · 1949–1987

President of Burkina Faso

Photograph of Ahmed Sékou Touré

Ahmed Sékou Touré

Guinea · 1922–1984

President of Guinea

Photograph of Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nigeria · 1904–1996

President of Nigeria

Photograph of Olusegun Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo

Nigeria · born 1937

President of Nigeria

Photograph of Albert Luthuli

Albert Luthuli

South Africa · c. 1898–1967

Anti-apartheid activist

Robert Sobukwe (back right) at his graduation, University of Fort Hare, 1949

Robert Sobukwe

South Africa · 1924–1978

Anti-apartheid revolutionary

Photograph of F. W. de Klerk

F. W. de Klerk

South Africa · 1936–2021

President of South Africa

Photograph of Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai

Kenya · 1940–2011

Environmental activist

Photograph of Leymah Gbowee

Leymah Gbowee

Liberia · born 1972

Peace activist

Photograph of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Liberia · born 1938

President of Liberia

Photograph of Samory Toure

Samory Toure

Guinea · c. 1828–1900

Founder of the Wassoulou Empire

Historical portrait of King Moshoeshoe I

Moshoeshoe I

Lesotho · c. 1786–1870

First King of Lesotho

Photograph of King Behanzin

Behanzin

Benin · c. 1844–1906

King of Dahomey

Photograph of Felix Houphouet-Boigny

Felix Houphouet-Boigny

Ivory Coast · 1905–1993

First President of Ivory Coast

Photograph of Kenneth Kaunda

Kenneth Kaunda

Zambia · 1924–2021

First President of Zambia

Photograph of Sam Nujoma

Sam Nujoma

Namibia · 1929–2020

First President of Namibia

Photograph of Seretse Khama

Seretse Khama

Botswana · 1921–1980

First President of Botswana

Photograph of Hastings Banda

Hastings Banda

Malawi · c. 1898–1997

President of Malawi

Photograph of Amilcar Cabral

Amilcar Cabral

Guinea-Bissau · 1924–1973

Anti-colonial leader & agricultural engineer

Photograph of Paul Biya

Paul Biya

Cameroon · 1933–

President of Cameroon

Photograph of Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso

Republic of the Congo · 1943–

President of the Republic of the Congo

Photograph of Gnassingbe Eyadema

Gnassingbe Eyadema

Togo · 1935–2005

President of Togo

Official portrait of Mengistu Haile Mariam

Mengistu Haile Mariam

Ethiopia · 1937–

Head of state of Ethiopia

Official portrait of Siad Barre

Siad Barre

Somalia · 1919–1995

President of Somalia