Tommie Sankange was the first black American public figure permanently residing in Zimbabwe who was not a missionary. Why don’t we know more about her?

Mershon Post Doctoral Scholar Brooks Marmon wrote a memorial for the Africa is a Country blog of Dr. Tommie Samkange, a trailblazing black American woman who made significant contributions to Zimbabwe. Born into the "Afro-American educated 'aristocracy,'" she married Zimbabwean intellectual Stanlake Samkange and moved to Southern Rhodesia in 1958. This article by Marmon explores her fascinating life, revealing how she navigated racial segregation, built transnational connections, and played a key role in the development of Zimbabwean education. Delve into the anecdotes and insights from Marmon's personal meetings with Samkange to unveil a side of her life that history has often overlooked.

Read the full piece on the Africa is a Country site.