Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Mossi

(Encyclopedia)Mossi mŏsˈē [key], African people, numbering about 2.5 million, mostly in Burkina Faso. From c.a.d. 1000 the Mossi were organized into several kingdoms, one of which has continued to the present da...

Davis, Benjamin Oliver

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Benjamin Oliver, 1877–1970, American general, b. Washington, D.C. After studying (1897–98) at Howard Univ., Davis served as a lieutenant in the Spanish-American War and in 1899 enlisted in ...

Deventer, Sir Jacob Louis van

(Encyclopedia)Deventer, Sir Jacob Louis van yäˈkōp lo͞oēˈ fän dĕfˈəntər [key], 1874?–1922, Boer general. In the South African War he commanded guerrilla forces in the Cape Colony. During World War I he...

Beit, Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Beit, Alfred bīt [key], 1853–1906, South African financier, b. Hamburg. He went to South Africa in 1875, grew rich from the development of diamond mines, and was a colleague and lieutenant of Cecil...

Pul

(Encyclopedia)Pul pŭl [key], in the Old Testament. 1 Assyrian king, invader of Israel, known as Tiglathpileser III. 2 African region. Probably the same as Phut or Punt. ...

Olympio, Sylvanus

(Encyclopedia)Olympio, Sylvanus sĭlvänˈəs ōlĭmpēˈə [key], 1902–63, African political leader, president of Togo from 1961 to 1963. He was active in trade before entering politics and helped bring about To...

Forester, C. S.

(Encyclopedia)Forester, C. S. (Cecil Scott Forester), 1899–1966, British novelist, b. Cairo, Egypt, educated in England. A prolific and popular author, C. S. Forester is best known for his novels of the royal nav...

Fortuny, Mariano

(Encyclopedia)Fortuny, Mariano märēäˈnō fōrto͞oˈnē [key], 1838–74, Spanish genre painter, etcher, and watercolorist. Sent to Morocco in 1859 to paint war scenes, he made many brilliant sketches of North ...

Eboué, Félix Adolphe

(Encyclopedia)Eboué, Félix Adolphe fālēksˈ ädôlfˈ ĕbwāˈ [key], 1884–1944, French colonial official. After service in Martinique and in the Sudan, he became France's first black colonial governor. He se...

John Henry

(Encyclopedia)John Henry, legendary African American famous for his strength, celebrated in ballads and tales. In the most popular version of the story, John Henry tries to outwork a steam drill with only his hamme...