African History Encyclopaedia

Zachary Rogers (16?-1681), an Englishman in the service of the Gambia Adventurers Company, founded a family line that has been prominent in the Sierra Leone...

William Raymond (1815-November 26, 1847) was the fearless American missionary who first brought western education and the Christian religion to the Sherbro people of Sierra...

Alimamy Rassin (circa 1825-1890), chief of Mafonda, was that rarity among leaders, a resolute champion of peace. Remarkable in any age, his opposition to violence...

Mdlaka (d. circa 1829) was the commander-in-chief of the Zulu army during most of Shaka’s  reign (1816-1828) and occasionally served as deputy chief when Shaka...

Wembo Nyama (circa 1870-July 28, 1940) began his career as an auxiliary of the great slave-trader Ngongo Leteta. Later, he became a faithful ally of...

Onema Henriette (circa 1900-August 27, 1967), better known as Mama Onema, was a powerful sorcerer who aided the Armée Populaire de Libération (A.P.L.), or Simbas,...

William Rainy (circa 1819-1878) was a courageous and distinguished Afro-West Indian barrister who devoted himself to fighting colour prejudice in Sierra Leone and elsewhere in...

Arthur Thomas Porter (1834-1908) was a wealthy businessman who plied a dubious but profitable trade in supplying indentured labour from Freetown to the Zaire (present-day...

Foray Benia Porekere (18?-December 28, 1893) was an able general who became leader of the Sofa, troops of the great Mandinka emperor, Samori Touré. His...

Vita Nkanga (16?-October 29, 1665), also known as Antonio 1, ruled over the Kongo kingdom for a short time in a period when the state...