This Day in History: 10/08/2004
On this day in 2004, Wangari Muta Maathai was the first African-American woman to be awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for her work to enrich the environment and tackle destitution in Africa.
Born in Kenya, Wangari would set on a challenging trek to change her continent and the world. During her life, she would get her Masters and Ph.D. Wangari went on to becoming a professor in a field that was prominently a male driven one.
Wangari’s ambitions would lead to seats on the National Council of Women of Kenya, Commission for Global Governance and on the Future, serving on many Boards around the world including for the United Nations, and went on to become the Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife in Kenya. A true trailblazer and barrier breaker.
With her work as the founder of the Green Belt Movement, many people opposed. So much in fact that she was attacked because of her persistence and determination. That did not stop her as she went on to plant over 30 million trees in Africa and employ nearly 900,000 women.
Wangari Muta Maathai will be in the history books as a force of nature whom led initiatives that went beyond the traditional roles and went on to being a role model for other women to achieve their goals and dreams.
