May 01

Born in Scotland in 1813, Livingstone trained as a physician before joining the London Missionary Society. He embarked on his first mission to southern Africa in 1841, establishing mission stations and learning local languages. Driven by a desire to end the slave trade, he explored uncharted regions and documented his journeys in detailed journals. His discovery of Victoria Falls in 1855 brought him international fame and helped draw attention to African geography. Livingstone’s meeting with journalist Henry Morton Stanley in 1871 popularized the phrase 'Dr. Livingstone, I presume?'. Throughout his life, he combined medical knowledge, religious conviction, and geographic exploration. He died in 1873 in present-day Zambia, honored for his humanitarian and scientific contributions.