Heroes and Heroines

Abraha (6th century AD) was an Aksumite general who became viceroy of South Arabia. He established his seat of government at the city of San’a’,...

Abara Kassa (1905-December 21, 1936) was a commander of Ethiopian forces during the Italian invasion of 1935-36. He played a leading role in the abortive...

Lebna Dengel (1496-September 2, 1540) was emperor of Ethiopia from 1508-40. During his reign the Muslim sultanate of Adal, under the leadership of Ahmad ibn...

Abdullahi Ali Abd Es-Shakur (18?-1930) was the last emir of Harar, ruling from 1885-87. The son of Muhammad Abd. Es-Shakur, emir of Harar from 1856-75,...

Ras Ababa Aragay (August 18. 1903-December 15, 1960) emerged as a hero of resistance to foreign rule during the five-year Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936-41)....

Garmame (1808/09-March 22, 1900) was an influential counsellor, a military leader, a governor during the reign of Menilek II. He was from the Moja clan...

Al-Hajj Malik Sy (1855-1929) is the founder of the Zâwiya (school and convent) of Tiwawan (Tivaouane), in Senegal. Member of the Moslem Brotherhood tijâniyya (tidjane),...

According to Ethiopian tradition, Makeda (10th century BC), the Queen of Sheba, had a son, Menilek I, by King Solomon of Jerusalem, thus establishing the...

James Bannerman (1790-March 12, 1858), a prosperous Accra merchant prince and a capable administrator who as lieutenant-governor governed Britain’s Gold Coast settlements from 1850-51, was...

Babatu (18?-?), also known as Mahama Dan Issa, played a major role in the latter part of the 19th century in creating Grunshi (Gurunsi), the...