Thomas Sankara was a revolutionary leader in Cold War Africa who fought for social justice, poverty reduction, and environmental justice. Brian J. Peterson's book provides a complete biography of Sankara, drawing on government archival sources and interviews with his family and colleagues. It explores why he generated enthusiasm and hope, why he was a polarizing figure, and how his rivals seized power from him.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2021
Publisher: Indiana University Press

Thomas Sankara, a revolutionary leader from Burkina Faso, is the subject of Brian J. Peterson's comprehensive biography in English, "Thomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa." Sankara's political career and rise to power are explored, as well as his assassination at age 37 in 1987, in a plot led by his close friend Blaise Compaoré. The book offers a critical appraisal of Sankara and explores why he generated such enthusiasm and hope in Burkina Faso and beyond, why he was such a polarizing figure, how his rivals seized power from him, and why T-shirts sporting his image still appear on the streets today.

Thomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa

Thomas Sankara, a revolutionary leader from Burkina Faso, is the subject of Brian J. Peterson's comprehensive biography in English, "Thomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa." Sankara's political career and rise to power are explored, as well as his assassination at age 37 in 1987, in a plot led by his close friend Blaise Compaoré. The book offers a critical appraisal of Sankara and explores why he generated such enthusiasm and hope in Burkina Faso and beyond, why he was such a polarizing figure, how his rivals seized power from him, and why T-shirts sporting his image still appear on the streets today.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 230 x 151 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780253053763