Nzingha (In History) - 1582-1663

Another personal favorite, I first encountered her story in high school while participating in a Sankofa dance group. Queen Nzingha of Ndongo belonged to the Mbundu, a large and ancient ethnic group that lived in modern-day Angola. Nzingha was a truly genius woman, whose unyielding desire for liberty and freedom for her people kept her at the forefront of the resistance against the Portuguese slave trade in her region. She was a visionary political and military leader who waged war against the Europeans. This war lasted for more than thirty years. One of Nzingha's greatest acts as Queen occurred in 1624 when she declared all territory over which she had control to be "Free Country". All slaves that were able to reach it from any region were forever free. This had a monumental impact, as thousands of slaves deserted Portuguese held areas to head for Nzingha's land, strengthening her armies in the process. Sadly, her death helped open the door for the massive Portuguese slave trade. Yet her struggle helped awaken others that followed her and caused them to mount their own offensives against the invaders. She is still known as a symbol of inspiration for people everywhere.

Sites referencing Nzingha:
http://www.knowyourblackhistory.com/queen-nzingha.html
http://nzinghaofangola.tripod.com/
http://www.swagga.com/queen.htm