> 17 African Noble Laureates

Since the 1950s, more than eighteen Africans have become Noble Laureates. Because of colonialism, slavery, and discrimination, Africans and the African Diaspora didn’t have much opportunity to participate in the Noble Prize until recentle. However, as soon as the door to the Noble Prize started opening to Africans in the 1950s, they were able to demonstrate to the world their excellence in arts and peace making.

Here are some Africans whose intelligence’s have earned them international recognition.

Kofi Annan: in 2001 received the Noble Prize for promoting peace.

Ralph Bunche in 1950 for working on peace building.

John Maxwell (JM) Coetzee in 2003 received the literary prize.

Mohamed ElBaradei in 2005 received the Nobel peace prize for his attempt to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes. He is the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Nadin Gordimer in 1991 received Nobel Prize for her novels and her epic short stories.

FW de Klerk in 1993 was a recipient of the Noble Prize for ending apartheid.

Sir Arthur Lewis in 1979 for Economics.

Albert John Luthuli in the 1960s received the Novel Prize for a non violence civil rights leadership in South Africa

Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964 for his fight for human rights and for international peace.

Wangari Maatahi is the person who inspired me to study environmental science and to become a peace advocate. In 2004, she received the peace price for her work on sustainable development and peace.

Naguib Mahfouz in 1988 received the prize for short stories and nobles

Nelson Mandela in 1993 received the Noble Prize for fighting to terminate apartheid.

Toni Morrison in 1994 for literature.

Anwar Sadat in 1978 received the Noble Prize for his contribution to peace in the Middle East.

Wole Soyinka in 1986 won the Noble Prize for poetic writings.

Desmond Tutu in 1984 earned the Noble Prize for his struggle against apartheid.

Derek Walcott in 1992 for literature.

Source: africa-union.org