Wangari Maathai (1940-2011), founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was a tireless social, environmental, and political activist, as well as an accomplished scholar. A champion of democracy and human rights, she worked tenaciously to dismantle the forces that limit people’s access to a dignified life across the Global South and beyond.

Grace Musila astutely explores Maathai’s life and multiple legacies and also presents a selection of the laureate’s essays and speeches.