Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was a Burkinabé military officer, Marxist revolutionary, and pan-Africanist President of Burkina Faso from his coup in 1983 to his deposition and murder in 1987. Viewed by supporters as a charismatic and iconic figure of revolution, he is commonly referred to as "Africa's Che Guevara".

What was Thomas Sankara known for?

Mr. Sankara was president of Burkina Faso, a landlocked and diverse country in West Africa, from 1983, when he took power in a coup, to 1987.

Where is Republique de Haute Volta?

The Republic of Upper Volta (French: République de Haute-Volta, now Burkina Faso) was a landlocked West African country established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union.