Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Meany, George

(Encyclopedia)Meany, George, 1894–1980, American labor leader, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO; 1955–79), b. New York City. A plumber, he was elec...

Keita, Modibo

(Encyclopedia)Keita, Modibo mōdēˈbō kāˈtä [key], 1915–77, African political leader in the Republic of Mali. He studied in France and taught in the French Sudan (later the Republic of Mali) before becoming ...

Lessing, Doris

(Encyclopedia)Lessing, Doris, 1919–2013, British novelist, b. Kermanshah, Persia (now Iran) as Doris May Tayler. Largely self-educated, she was brought up on a farm in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and in 194...

Brčko

(Encyclopedia)Brčko, internationally supervised self-governing district, NE Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Sava River, part of both the Federation of Bosnia and ...

Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa

(Encyclopedia)Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa älhäˈjē äbo͞oˈbäkärˌ täfäˈwä bälāˈwä [key], 1912–66, Nigerian political leader. He was born Mallam Abubakar. After studying to become a teacher, ...

Lusaka

(Encyclopedia)Lusaka lo͞osäˈkə [key], city (1990 est. pop. 982,400), alt. 4,200 ft (1,280 m), capital of Zambia, S central Zambia. A sprawling city located in a productive farm area, Lusaka is an administrative...

Hyndman, Henry Mayers

(Encyclopedia)Hyndman, Henry Mayers hīndˈmən [key], 1842–1921, English Socialist, an early advocate of Marxism in England. He was a journalist by profession. In 1881 he founded the parent organization of the S...

Banda, Rupiah Bwezani

(Encyclopedia)Banda, Rupiah Bwezani, 1937–, Zambian politician, president of Zambia (2008–11), b. Gwenda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Educated in Ethiopia, Sweden, and England, he joined the United Nation...

Alfonso V, king of Aragón and Sicily

(Encyclopedia)Alfonso V (Alfonso the Magnanimous), 1396–1458, king of Aragón and Sicily (1416–58) and of Naples (1443–58), count of Barcelona. He was the son of Ferdinand I, whom he succeeded in Aragón and ...

Albion, ancient and literary name of Britain

(Encyclopedia)Albion ălˈbēən [key], ancient and literary name of Britain. It is usually restricted to England and is perhaps derived from the Latin albus meaning “white,” referring to the chalk cliffs of S ...

Browse by Subject