Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 and a key figure in African and global history. Born in 1892, he modernized Ethiopia and worked to strengthen its independence. He gained international recognition after appealing to the League of Nations during Italy’s invasion in 1935. Selassie later became a symbol of African unity and helped found the Organization of African Unity. Though respected globally, his rule faced criticism over inequality and governance, leading to his overthrow in 1974. He remains a powerful symbol in African and Rastafarian history.