Thomas Sankara was the revolutionary President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987. He renamed the country, vaccinated 2.5 million children in one week, planted 10 million trees, and banned luxury cars for government officials — before being assassinated at age 37.
The Story of Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara became president of what was then Upper Volta in 1983 after a military coup. His first act: rename the country Burkina Faso — 'Land of the Upright People' in Mooré and Dioula. The name change was a statement: this was a new kind of African leadership, one that served the people rather than former colonial masters.
In just four years, Sankara's government vaccinated 2.5 million children against meningitis, yellow fever, and measles in a single week. He launched one of Africa's most successful tree-planting campaigns, planting 10 million trees to combat desertification. He redistributed land from feudal landlords to peasant farmers. He declared women's liberation a revolutionary priority and banned female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and polygamy.
He refused IMF and World Bank loans, knowing they came with conditions that would keep Burkina Faso economically subservient. He cut his own salary to match a teacher's wage and sold off the government's fleet of Mercedes cars, replacing them with Renaults. He played guitar in a rock band. He was beloved by his people.
On October 15, 1987, Sankara was assassinated in a coup orchestrated by his former friend Blaise Compaoré — with French intelligence widely suspected of involvement. He was 37 years old. Today, Thomas Sankara is arguably the most beloved political figure in Africa — his image worn on T-shirts from Dakar to Johannesburg as the symbol of what African leadership could look like.
Color Thomas's Portrait
The Alphabet Book of Generals — Who Resisted White Supremacy and Won features a full-page coloring portrait of Thomas with a color guide and fun fact. Perfect for children ages 4–12 and Black history education.
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