Yaa Asantewaa

A Ghanaian queen mother who led a historic uprising against British colonial rule in 1900.

Yaa Asantewaa (c. 1840–1921) was the queen mother of the Edweso tribe in the Ashanti Empire. In 1900, she organized and led the Ashanti Uprising against British colonial forces after the British exiled the Ashanti king and seized the Golden Stool, a symbol of national sovereignty.

Her leadership inspired the Asante people to resist British occupation for months. Though the rebellion was ultimately suppressed, her defiance became a cornerstone of Ghanaian nationalism. She was captured and exiled to the Seychelles, where she died, but her legacy endures as a symbol of African resistance.

Yaa Asantewaa's story is documented in works like historical accounts. Learn more through Wikipedia or Encyclopedia Britannica.