Top 5 Most Celebrated African Revolutionaries

Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, Egypt

Born in 1918 in Alexandria, Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second president of the North African country, ruling from 1956 until his death in 1970. He led the obliteration of the monarchy in 1952 and went on to introduce many far-reaching reforms especially in the land sector.

His popularity grew even bigger after his successful nationalization of the Suez Canal, as well as his political conquest in the ensuing Suez Crisis. Nasser’s attempts to resign in 1967 were met with nationwide protests as his supporters called for his reinstatement. He died of a heart attack in 1970 shortly after attending the Arab League Summit. His funeral brought the entire country to a standstill, drawing more than five million mourners from across the Arab world.

Although these African revolutionaries hailed from different parts of the continent and existed at different times, it is obvious that they were united by a common cause – a better life for every African.