49 biographies published in June 2026.
A Grammy-winning superstar who carried Afrobeats onto the world's biggest stages, Burna Boy is one of the defining African artists of his generation. This is his story.
A pioneering women's rights leader, educator and nationalist, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti led one of the most successful protest movements in colonial Nigeria. This is her story.
An award-winning actress, producer and director, Genevieve Nnaji became the face of Nollywood and a pioneer who carried Nigerian cinema onto the global stage. This is her story.
A world champion and world record holder in the 100 metres hurdles, Tobi Amusan became the first Nigerian athlete to win a World Championships gold. This is her story.
An Academy Award winner who transforms herself completely for every role, Charlize Theron rose from a farm near Johannesburg to the heights of Hollywood. This is her story.
A Champions League winner, Chelsea's greatest striker, and a national hero who helped bring peace to Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba is one of Africa's most beloved footballers. This is his story.
Emperor of Ethiopia, defender of his nation against fascism, and a founding force behind African unity, Haile Selassie remains one of the most significant figures in modern African history. This is his story.
A Nigerian football icon whose flair and skill made him one of the most entertaining players of his era, Augustine 'Jay-Jay' Okocha thrilled fans from Lagos to Bolton. This is his story.
A pioneer who carried juju music from the dance halls of Lagos to stages around the world, King Sunny Ade is one of the towering figures of Nigerian music. This is his story.
The first prime minister and president of independent Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta led his country from colonial rule to nationhood and became a towering figure of African independence. This is his story.
One of the best-selling music artists of all time, Elton John turned his partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin into a string of timeless songs across five decades. This is his story.
A two-time NBA champion, MVP, and one of the most skilful big men ever to play, Hakeem 'The Dream' Olajuwon carried Nigeria's name to the summit of world basketball. This is his story.
From teen idol to Edward Scissorhands to Captain Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp built one of the most distinctive careers in modern cinema. This is his story.
A Grammy-winning singer and tireless anti-apartheid activist, Miriam Makeba became known across the world as Mama Africa. This is her story.
Premier of the Western Region, federal finance minister and three-time presidential contender, Chief Obafemi Awolowo shaped modern Nigeria like few others. This is his story.
From Risky Business to the record-breaking Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise has spent four decades as one of the most bankable and dedicated stars in film history. This is his story.
From a folk prodigy in Greenwich Village to a Nobel Prize in Literature, Bob Dylan changed what a song could be and influenced nearly every artist who followed. This is his story.
With 28 Olympic medals including 23 golds, Michael Phelps stands as the most decorated Olympian of all time, and his story off the pool deck is just as powerful. This is his story.
From civil rights activist to recovering addict to the most commercially successful actor of all time, Samuel L. Jackson took an extraordinary road to stardom. This is his story.
The founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Wangari Maathai linked ecology, democracy and women's rights. This is her story.
One of the most influential voices in the history of soul music, Marvin Gaye redefined what popular music could say about love, war and the human spirit. This is his story.
Known to millions as Zik of Africa, Nnamdi Azikiwe was a journalist and nationalist who helped lead Nigeria to independence and became the first president of the republic. This is his story.
A child of the industry who fell to addiction and prison before becoming Iron Man and an Oscar winner, Robert Downey Jr. lived one of Hollywood's great redemption stories. This is his story.
A World Cup winner, a two-time World Player of the Year, and the man who made even Real Madrid fans applaud, Ronaldinho brought magic and joy back to football. This is his story.
An Oscar-winning actress, a timeless fashion icon, and a devoted UNICEF ambassador, Audrey Hepburn lived a life of grace and purpose. This is her story.
The first woman to be elected head of state in Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led Liberia's recovery from civil war and won the Nobel Peace Prize. This is her story.
Singer, actor and cultural force, Frank Sinatra was the most influential popular vocalist of the twentieth century and an Oscar-winning film star. This is his story.
In 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball, breaking a barrier that had stood for decades and helping to ignite a movement. This is his story.
Four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics made Jesse Owens a global symbol of human excellence and a rebuke to Nazi ideology. This is the story of Jesse Owens.
Co-founder of the Beatles, peace activist and solo icon, John Lennon shaped modern music and culture in ways still felt today. This is the story of John Lennon.
The first Prime Minister of the independent Congo, Patrice Lumumba became a global symbol of African liberation and a martyr after his assassination in 1961. This is his story.
From the manic energy of Mork to the quiet depth of an Oscar-winning therapist, Robin Williams was one of the most gifted performers of his generation. This is his story.
From a breakout role in Thelma and Louise to an acting Oscar and producing Best Picture winners, Brad Pitt built one of Hollywood's most enduring careers. This is his story.
The Hand of God, the Goal of the Century, a World Cup carried almost single-handedly, and a life of dazzling highs and painful lows. This is the story of Diego Maradona.
The best-selling female recording artist of all time, a master of reinvention who shaped pop music, fashion and culture for forty years. This is the story of Madonna.
He renamed his country Burkina Faso, the land of upright people, and in four short years made it a symbol of African self-determination. This is the story of Thomas Sankara.
He turned the Gold Coast into Ghana, the first sub-Saharan colony to win independence, and became the foremost champion of Pan-Africanism. This is the story of Kwame Nkrumah.
The youngest heavyweight champion in history, a man who inspired genuine fear in opponents, and a life of dramatic falls and comebacks. This is the story of Mike Tyson.
From a sharecropping community in Tennessee to global superstardom, Tina Turner's life was a story of survival, reinvention and unstoppable will. This is her story.
Two consecutive Best Actor Oscars, a string of films that defined a generation, and a reputation as the nicest man in Hollywood. This is the story of Tom Hanks.
He scored 81 points in a single game, won five championships, and built a philosophy of relentless dedication he called the Mamba Mentality. This is the story of Kobe Bryant.
Blind from infancy, he signed to Motown at 11 and went on to win 25 Grammy Awards and redefine what popular music could be. This is the story of Stevie Wonder.
He came from nothing, carried the weight of an entire city on his shoulders as a teenager, and went on to win four NBA championships with three different franchises. The story of LeBron James is the most remarkable in modern basketball.
Abraham Lincoln rose from frontier poverty to lead the United States through its bloodiest war, sign the Emancipation Proclamation and deliver some of the most enduring words in the history of democratic governance. He was assassinated five days after the war's effective end.
He was a small boy from Rosario with a hormone deficiency and an unshakeable gift. He became the greatest footballer the world has ever seen. This is the story of Lionel Messi.
She arrived from Barbados at sixteen with three songs and a voice that stopped Jay-Z mid-audition. Two decades later she is a billionaire, a beauty industry disruptor, and the face of Caribbean excellence on the world stage.
Will Smith built one of the most remarkable careers in modern entertainment, rising from the streets of West Philadelphia to become a two-time Oscar nominee and eventual Academy Award winner. His is a story of relentless reinvention.
He held the screen for fewer than 25 minutes in the film that won him his Oscar, yet no actor that year was even remotely in competition. Anthony Hopkins's Hannibal Lecter changed what a villain could be and what a performance could do with economy and restraint.
From a rural childhood in Mvezo to twenty-seven years in prison and finally the presidency, the story of Nelson Mandela is the story of a man who refused to let bitterness define a nation.