Samora Machel

Mozambican revolutionary and first President of Mozambique (1975-1986)

Chronology: 1933-09-29 – 1986-10-19

Origins & Early Life

Samora Moisés Machel (September 29, 1933 – October 19, 1986) was a Mozambican politician and revolutionary who served as the first President of Mozambique from the country's independence in 1975 until his death in the 1986 Mozambican Tupolev Tu-134 plane crash which killed 34 people, including several Mozambican ministers and government officials. Machel was a socialist in the tradition of Marxism–Leninism. == Early life == Samora Moisés Machel was born on September 29, 1933, in the village of Madragoa (today's Chilembene), Gaza Province, Mozambique, to a family of farmers. His grandfather had been an active collaborator of Gungunhana.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Under Portuguese rule, his father, like most Black Mozambicans, was classified as "indígena" (native). He was forced to accept lower prices for his crops than White farmers; compelled to grow labour-intensive cotton, which took time away from the food crops needed for his family; and forbidden to brand his mark on his cattle to prevent thievery. Despite these barriers, Machel's father was a successful farmer who owned four plows and 400 head of cattle by 1940. Machel grew up in this farming village and attended mission elementary school. In 1942, he was...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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

Source: Wikipedia