Athol Fugard (1932–2024), famed South African playwright 

Athol Fugard was a famed South African playwright whose widely celebrated work probed the ugliness of apartheid and its aftermath.

Sam Nujoma (1929–2025), first president of Namibia

Sam Nujoma was a leader of Namibia’s decades-long War of Independence, later elected its first president.

Dikembe Mutombo (1966–2024), Hall of Fame NBA shot-blocker

Dikembe Mutombo was an NBA star known for his towering height and his shot-blocking skills.

Michaela DePrince (1995–2024), ballerina who danced with Beyonce

Michaela DePrince was a ballerina who rose from a war-torn childhood to become a rising international star of the dance world.

Toumani Diabaté (1965–2024), influential West African musician

Toumani Diabaté was a Malian musician and composer best known for his innovative work on the kora, through which he blended traditional West African music with influences like jazz, flamenco, and others.

Ali Hassan Mwinyi (1925–2024), former president of Tanzania

Ali Hassan Mwinyi was the second president of Tanzania after the country’s 1961 independence from Great Britain, serving from 1985 to 1995.

Kelvin Kiptum (1999–2024), record-breaking marathon runner

Kelvin Kiptum was a record-breaking marathon runner poised to become an Olympic star, having run three of the seven fastest marathons in history and being the first to run a marathon in under 2 hours and 1 minute.

Hage Geingob (1941–2024), president of Namibia 

Hage Geingob was the third president of Namibia, serving from 2015 until his death. 

Libya Floods (2023)

At least 8,000 people have died, and many thousands of others are missing, after heavy rains in Libya from Storm Daniel led to severe flooding over the weekend.

Morocco Earthquake (2023) 

More than 2,900 people were killed in an earthquake in Morocco on September 8, 2023. Thousands more are injured.

Ama Ata Aidoo (1942–2023), award-winning Ghanaian author, politician

Ama Ata Aidoo was a Ghana-born writer, poet, politician and academic known for works such as “Our Sister Killjoy,” “Changes: A Love Story,” and “The Dilemma of a Ghost.”

José Eduardo dos Santos (1942–2022), former president of Angola

José Eduardo dos Santos was the former longtime president of the African nation of Angola, having served from 1979 to 2017.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931–2021), who helped end apartheid in South Africa

Desmond Tutu was a South African Anglican cleric, outspoken opponent of apartheid and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Kenneth Kaunda (1924–2021), Zambia’s former president and liberator

Kenneth Kaunda was the former president of Zambia, who led the fight to free the country from British rule.

Sarah Obama (2021), matriarch of Barack Obama’s family

Sarah Obama was an educator and philanthropist who was President Barack Obama’s step-grandmother and the matriarch of his African family.

Mory Kanté (1950–2020), Guinean musician who had an international hit with “Ye Ke Ye Ke”

Mory Kant é was a Guinean singer and kora player who brought the music of West Africa to the world with his 1987 hit, “Ye Ke Ye Ke.”

Manu Dibango (1933–2020), jazz musician, died of COVID-19

Manu Dibango was a saxophonist, vibraphonist, and songwriter from Cameroon who was known for mixing traditional African music with jazz and funk. His 1972 song “Soul Makossa” was an international hit.

Joseph Shabalala (1940–2020), founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Joseph Shabalala was a singer and musician who founded the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and served as their music director, bringing traditional Zulu music to a worldwide audience. Founded in 1960, Ladysmith Black Mambazo recorded Africa’s first gold album, 1973’s “Amabutho.” They gained international fame when Paul Simon collaborated with them for his 1986 Grammy-winning album “Graceland.” Ladysmith Black Mambazo sang on several tracks, and Shabalala co-composed the song “Homeless” with Simon. Simon produced Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s 1987 album Shaka Zulu,” which won a Grammy, their first of five, for Best Traditional Folk Recording. The group went on to appear in Michael Jackson’s 1988 movie “Moonwalker” and to sing at South African President Nelson Mandela’s 1994 inauguration. Shabalala remained with Ladysmith Black Mambazo until his 2014 retirement; the group continues touring today.

Robert Mugabe (1924–2019), former president of Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s former president, had a controversial legacy that swung from liberating Zimbabwe from colonial rule to ruling it himself with an iron fist.

Kofi Annan (1938–2018), former UN Secretary-General

Nobel Peace Prize winner andfirst black African Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Daphne Sheldrick (1934 – 2018), elephant conservationist featured in “Born to Be Wild 3D”

Daphne Sheldrick, British-Kenyan elephant conservationist who was featured in “Born to Be Wild 3D” documentary, died Thursday, April 12, 2018, after a long battle with breast cancer, according to the Associated Press. She was 83.

Algeria Military Plane Crash Victims (2018)

An Algerian military plane crashed on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, according to multiple news sources. 257 people died in the crash.

Sierra Leone Mudslide Victims

More than 300 people killed...

Ray Phiri (1947–2017), South African musician on Graceland

South African musician was featured on Paul Simon’s "Graceland" album.

Cheick Tioté (1986–2017), former midfielder for Newcastle United

The former midfielder for Newcastle United in the English Premier League died after he collapsed while training.

Babatunde Osotimehin (1949 - 2017), United Nations Population Fund director

U.N. Population Fund director fought for girls’, women’s rights...

Funeral Music Across Cultures

The emotional power of music makes it a natural part of funeral ceremonies, no matter which culture you belong to.

Victims of Burkina Faso Hotel Attack

At least 23 people have died in an attack on the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Victims of Mali Hotel Attack

At least 21 people have died in an attack at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali.

Victims of Nigeria Bombings

At least 46 people have died after two bombing incidents in Nigeria Tuesday, according to CNN. Hundreds more are injured. The two attacks took place in two different cities 400 miles apart, but they may share a perpetrator.

Tragedies That Went Under the Radar

2015 was a year of horrific tragedy, as attacks in Paris, Beirut, Niger, Baghdad and elsewhere left hundreds dead or wounded.

South Sudan Plane Crash Victims

A cargo plane that was reportedly overloaded crashed along the banks of the Nile River after taking off from the South Sudan's capital, killing at least 25 people, witnesses and officials said, according to The Associated Press. An Associated Press reporter at the scene of the crash saw the bodies, including those of women children. Parts of the plane were scattered in a bushy area on banks of the Nile with a few homes nearby. Packages of cheap sandals, cigarettes, beer and crackers were strewn amid the wreckage. The white tail section protruded from the brush.

Fela Kuti, The Black President

Fela Kuti backed down for no one, be they murderous generals or Paul McCartney. We take a look back at the Afrobeat pioneer on the anniversary of his death.

Ebola Victims Gone, Not Forgotten

As the Ebola epidemic spreads in West Africa, families of the victims are facing a confusing and heartbreaking situation.

Dian Fossey, Friend of Gorillas

Dian Fossey would have turned 80 today. We remember the woman who spent her life fighting to save gorillas.

Manute Bol: Big Man, Big Heart

We remember Manute Bol, one of the tallest and nicest guys to ever play in the NBA.

Papa Jacques Montouroy, Aid Worker

The legendary aid worker spent decades in war-torn locales, providing food to the hungry and teaching poverty-stricken kids to play soccer.

Nathan Henn, Volunteer Killed in Uganda

American aid worker Nathan Henn was among the 74 killed by twin bombings in Uganda, the blasts targeting crowds gathered to watch the World Cup final on TV.