Timeline | HerStory Africa

Pre-colonial · 16 women

Women of pre-colonial Africa

Queens, warriors, and spiritual leaders who ruled African kingdoms before colonial rule, from ancient Egypt to medieval Angola and the Yoruba kingdoms.

Colonial · 30 women

Women of the colonial era

African women who resisted colonial rule: tax revolt leaders, armed fighters, school founders, and the first journalists to report on occupation.

Independence · 22 women

Women of Africa's independence era

The women who organised, marched, and negotiated Africa's independence movements from the 1950s onward, and what they built when the flags went up.

Modern · 74 women

Women of modern Africa

Judges, finance ministers, novelists, and heads of state who shaped Africa in the decades after independence and through the fight against apartheid.

Contemporary · 59 women

Contemporary African women making history

African women shaping the continent right now, in parliaments, courtrooms, laboratories, and film studios. Profiles of leaders whose stories continue.