Nyeri District, Kenya (April 1, 1940 -September 25, 2011) age 71 yrs

Wangarĩ Muta Maathai was a renowned Kenyan social, environmental, and political activist. She founded the Green Belt Movement. This organization is an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and women’s rights. In 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She studied in the United States, earning a bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Scholastica and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Maathai was recognized for her tireless work in promoting sustainable development, democracy, and peace through environmental activism and women’s empowerment. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to become a Doctor of Philosophy, receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Maathai’s dedication to the environment, education, and social justice left an indelible mark on the world. In 2012, a garden was dedicated to Wangari Maathai. It is located on the lawn of the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. In 2016, Forest Road in Nairobi was renamed Wangari Maathai Road. This change honored her efforts. She opposed several attempts to degrade forests and public parks through the Green Belt Movement.