She was elected to Kenya’s National Assembly in 2002 with 98 percent of the vote, and in 2003 she was appointed assistant minister of environment, natural resources, and wildlife. Maathai is known for the holistic nature of her work. Maathai would later draw inspiration by the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements in the United States. She won a scholarship in 1960 to go to college in the United States. She subsequently earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh (1966). Wangari Muta Maathai was born on April 1, 1940, in Nyeri, Kenya. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wangari-Maathai, The Right Livelihood Award - Biography of Wangari Maathai, Nobel Women's Initiative - Biography of Wangari Maathai, The Nobel Prize - Biography of Wangari Maathai, Wangari Muta Maathai - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Wangari Maathai - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Most of Wangari Maathai’s accomplishments are because of her involvement in the philanthropic sector. In her Nobel speech, Maathai said that picking her for the renowned peace prize "challenged the world to broaden the understanding of peace: There can be no peace without equitable development; and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful space." Mathai was born and raised in Kenya. Wangari Maathai was an inspirational leader who touched lives in many ways. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Maathai's family decided to send her to school, which was uncommon for girls to be educated at this time. She founded the Green Belt Movement in the 1970s seeking to promote environmental conservation in Kenya and Africa. Maathai was survived by her three children: Waweru, Wanjira and Muta. Wangari Maathai received numerous awards and honorary degrees. She attended college in the United States, receiving a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount St. Scholastica College (now Benedictine College) in 1964 and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966. Former U.S. vice president and fellow environmentalist Al Gore was among those who offered remembrances of Maathai. Wangari Muta Maathai is one of Africa’s most celebrated female activists. In 2004, she received a remarkable honor. And one of those root causes was misgovernance.". Wangari Maathai, unlike most women from her region, was able to travel outside of Africa and obtain a college education. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her actions to promote sustainable development, democracy and peace and was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. A Nobel Prize laureate, she was the first African woman and the first environmentalist to be bestowed with the prestigious award. Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan political and environmental activist and her country's assistant minister of environment, natural resources and wildlife. Her father supported the family working as a tenant farmer. "Nobody would have bothered me if all I did was to encourage women to plant trees," she later said, according to The Economist. Avisionary environmentalist, Wangari Maathai created a successful reforestation program that began in Kenya and was adopted in other African nations and the United States. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. She started at a local primary school when she was 8 years old. Biography of Wangari Maathai. She was also the first female scholar from East and Central Africa to take a doctorate (in biology), and the first female professor ever in her home country of Kenya. READ MORE. In 1971, Wangari Maathai received a Ph.D., effectively becoming the first woman in either East or Central Africa to earn a doctorate. She was born in a village named Ihithe, in Nyeri district; located in Central Kenya. In 1971 she received a Ph.D. at the University of Nairobi, effectively becoming the first woman in either East or Central Africa to earn a doctorate. An excellent student, Maathai was able to continue her education at the Loreto Girls' High School. Maathai attended Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1964. Born on April 1, 1940, in Nyeri, Kenya, environmental activist Wangari Maathai grew up in a small village. This organization helped spread the GBM’s organizational framework and agenda to environmentalists in other sub-saharan countries, under the guidance of Wangari Maathai. Avisionary environmentalist, Wangari Maathai created a successful reforestation program that began in Kenya and was adopted in other African nations and the United States. Ecologist Wangari Maathai won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her years of work with women to reverse African deforestation. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Wangari Maathai was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai remained a vocal opponent of the Kenyan government until Moi's political party lost control in 2002. Wangari Maathai was active in the National Council of Women of Kenya in … About Wangari Maathai . Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Wangari Maathai : biography 1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011 In 1974, Maathai’s family expanded to include her third child, Muta. Maathai continues to be recognized worldwide for her achievements, although she is … Early life and education. She was married to Mwangi Mathai. Wangari Maathai obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas (1964). In 1992 GBM established the Pan-African Green Belt Movement after the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Wangari Maathai, in full Wangari Muta Maathai, (born April 1, 1940, Nyeri, Kenya—died September 25, 2011, Nairobi), Kenyan politician and environmental activist who was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize for Peace, becoming the first black African woman to win a Nobel Prize. 18 Aug. Mary, the hummingbird. In both cases, she was the first woman to attain those positions in the region. Abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth is best known for her speech on racial inequalities, "Ain't I a Woman?" Two years later, she completed a master's degree in biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Maathai joined the university's faculty and became the first woman to chair a university department in the region in 1976. Wangari Maathai, in full Wangari Muta Maathai, (born April 1, 1940, Nyeri, Kenya—died September 25, 2011, Nairobi), Kenyan politician and environmental activist who was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize for Peace, becoming the first black African woman to win a Nobel Prize. Wangari Maathai (1940 – 2011) was a Kenyan environmental activist. Activist Environmentalist Political Figure . Geraldine A. Ferraro was a member of Congress and the first woman to run for the U.S. vice presidency on a major party platform. Wangari Maathai Biography. All these things weave together. From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. But over many years, as more and more land was cleared, Kenya was transformed. She made history in 1971, becoming the first woman in East Africa to earn a doctorate degree. David Brancaccio interviews environmentalist and women's rights advocate Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the … The place in the park where she demonstrated became known as "Freedom Corner. Wangari Maathai (1940–2011), the first woman to obtain a PhD in East and Central Africa, was a scholar, and an environmental and human rights activist. She was calling for the release of political prisoners. “In trying to explain this linkage, I was inspired by a traditional African tool that has three legs and a … "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Lucy Stone was a leading activist and pioneer of the abolitionist and women's rights movements. The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. In addition to her conservation work, Maathai was also an advocate for human rights, AIDS prevention, and women’s issues, and she frequently represented these concerns at meetings of the United Nations General Assembly. In 1977, she founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization, which encourages women to plant trees to combat deforestation and environmental degradation. Maathai was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica College (now Benedictine College; B.S. Maathai was a frequent contributor to international publications such as the Los Angeles Times and the Guardian. ", Proving to be very successful, the movement is responsible for the planting of more than 30 million trees in Kenya and providing roughly 30,000 women with new skills and opportunities. A visionary environmentalist, Wangari Maathai (born 1940) created a successful reforestation program that began in Kenya and was adopted in other African nations and the United States. She died on September 25, 2011, at the age of 71 years old. Her honor, however, did not come without controversy. Standing up for a democratic, multi-ethnic Kenya, she was subjected to defamation, persecution, detention and physical attacks. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Wangari Maathai was born on April 1, 1940 in Nyeri, Kenya as Wangari Muta. In 1977, she launched the Green Belt Movement to reforest her beloved country while helping the nation's women. Wangari’s family was Kikuyu, a collective ethnic group in Kenya. In 1971, Wangari Maathai received a Ph.D., effectively becoming the first woman in either East or Central Africa to earn a doctorate. Omissions? What had started out as an environmental movement quickly became a political effort as well. She received the Nobel prize for peace in 2004. Dorothy Height was a civil rights and women's rights activist focused primarily on improving the circumstances of and opportunities for African American women. Corrections? Maathai and her organization staged a protest in Nairobi's Uhuru Park to prevent the construction of a skyscraper. She remains a potent example of how one person can be a force for change. As a result of the movement’s activism, similar initiatives were begun in other African countries, including Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. Wangari Maathai (1940-2011) was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Wangari Maathai – Kenyan environmental political activist and Nobel laureate. ", The following year, Maathai was beaten and badly injured at another protest in "Freedom Corner." "So we decided to solve both problems together. In her final years, she battled ovarian cancer. She embodied values and character traits to which people aspire. Writer, feminist and women's rights activist Betty Friedan wrote 'The Feminine Mystique' (1963) and co-founded the National Organization for Women. She passed away in September of 2011. In 2004 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Green Belt Movement, an organization she founded in 1977, had by the early 21st century planted some 30 million trees. Her campaign drew international attention, and the project was eventually dropped. Wangari Muta Maathai was born on 1st April 1940. Wangari Maathai went to college in the United States, earning degrees from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas (1964) and the University of … Maathai was recognized world-wide for her achievements, although she … Another volume, The Challenge for Africa (2009), criticized Africa’s leadership as ineffectual and urged Africans to try to solve their problems without Western assistance. Originally trained as a scientist in Kenya and abroad, Professor Maathai returned to her … When she was still young at around 1943, he father found some work in a white settlement a town called Nakuru. Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940. An environmentalist works to protect the environment. While working with the National Council of Women of Kenya, Maathai developed the idea that village women could improve the environment by planting trees to provide a fuel source and to slow the processes of deforestation and desertification.
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