Origins & Early Life

Jonas Malheiro Sidónio Sakaita Savimbi (Portuguese: [ˈʒɔnɐʃ ˈsavĩbi]; 3 August 1934 – 22 February 2002) was an Angolan revolutionary, politician, and rebel military leader who founded and led the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, also known as UNITA. UNITA was one of several groups which waged a guerrilla war against Portuguese colonial rule from 1966 to 1974. Once independence was achieved, it then became an anti-communist group, which confronted the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, also known as the MPLA, during the Angolan Civil War. Savimbi was killed in a clash with government troops in 2002.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Jonas Malheiro Sidónio Sakaita Savimbi was born on 3 August 1934 in Munhango, Bié Province, a small town on the Benguela railway, and raised in Chilesso, in the same province. Savimbi's father, Lote, was a stationmaster on Angola's Benguela railway line and a Protestant preacher at Igreja Evangélica Congregacional de Angola (Evangelical Congregational Church of Angola), which was founded and maintained by American missionaries. Both his parents were members of the Bieno, an Ovimbundu group. The Ovimbundu later served...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alan Arkin — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Esteemed American actor, filmmaker, and musician with a seven-decade career.
• Bill Russell — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Center for the Boston Celtics, a 12-time champion and basketball legend.
• Brigitte Bardot — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Iconic French actress, singer, and passionate animal rights activist.
• Abba Eban — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Alexander Prokhorov — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Soviet physicist renowned for foundational work in quantum electronics and laser development.
• Astrid Lindgren — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Iconic Swedish children's author, celebrated for imaginative tales and advocacy.
• Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — Shared historical date (08-03 · Died) (2008): Dissident author who exposed Soviet repression, notably the Gulag system.
• Alfred Lunt — Shared historical date (08-03 · Died) (1977): Esteemed American actor, celebrated for his stage partnership with Lynn Fontanne.
• Adam Ferguson — Shared historical date (02-22 · Died) (1816): Scottish philosopher, historian, and 'father of modern sociology'.
• Adolphe Quetelet — Shared historical date (02-22 · Born) (1796): Pioneering Belgian statistician, founder of anthropometry, and social scientist.
• 1934 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1934
• August 3 (08-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 3
• 2002 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2002
• February 22 (02-22) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 22