In her native Kenya, environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai faced arrest, beatings and was called a subversive for her activism. But in 2004 she became the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Her book is called The Challenge for Africa.

Event: Wangari Maathai will be in conversation with Leonard Lopate
Thursday, April 9, at 6:30 pm
The Cooper Union
7 East 7th Street

The documentary Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, an Independent Lens presentation, airs on PBS Tuesday, April 14.