Kofi Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat who became the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and one of Africa’s most influential international statesmen. He spent almost his entire professional life within the UN system, rising from an administrative post to its highest office. His career focused on peacekeeping, human rights, development, humanitarian action and international … Read more
Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, composer, bandleader and political activist who transformed African popular music through Afrobeat. He used long, rhythmic songs to confront corruption, military dictatorship, poverty and social injustice. His confrontational style made him both a cultural icon and a frequent target of Nigerian authorities. Born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti in Abeokuta … Read more
Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist, teacher and innovator best known for developing the telephone. Born in Edinburgh in 1847, he grew up in a family deeply involved in speech, hearing and education. Bell’s work on the telephone emerged from his efforts to understand speech and improve communication for deaf people. His background … Read more
Barry Melrose was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach and broadcaster who became one of the most recognizable voices in hockey. Born in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, in 1956, he first made his name as a rugged defenseman before moving into coaching. His coaching career reached its highest point when he guided the Los Angeles Kings to … Read more
Cyprian Ekwensi was a Nigerian novelist, short-story writer, pharmacist and broadcaster who helped bring Nigerian fiction to a wider international readership. Born in Minna in 1921, he grew up across different parts of colonial Nigeria and drew from those experiences throughout his literary career. Ekwensi became known for writing about ordinary people living through social … Read more
Charles Dickens was an English novelist, journalist and social critic whose books became some of the most influential works of nineteenth-century literature. Born in Portsmouth in 1812, he rose from a difficult childhood to become one of the most famous writers of the Victorian age. Dickens created memorable characters such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, … Read more
Whitney Houston was an American singer and actress whose extraordinary voice made her one of the most influential recording artists of her generation. Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1963, she grew up in a musical family and developed from a gospel singer into an international pop and R&B superstar. Houston’s career changed the sound … Read more
Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, was an African-born writer, sailor, merchant and abolitionist whose life became one of the most important personal accounts of the transatlantic slave trade. His 1789 autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, brought the experiences of enslavement … Read more
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, widely known as MKO Abiola, was a Nigerian businessman, publisher, philanthropist and politician whose life became closely linked with Nigeria’s struggle for democratic government. Born in Abeokuta in 1937, he rose from a difficult childhood to build a large business empire before entering national politics. Abiola became the presidential candidate of … Read more
Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer, singer, actress, civil rights activist and member of the French Resistance during the Second World War. Born into poverty in St. Louis, Missouri, she became one of the most famous performers in 1920s Paris and later used her international reputation in the fight against racism and fascism. Baker … Read more