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David Livingstone

Missionary / Explorer

At age 27 Livingstone sailed from Scotland to South Africa as a Christian missionary. He spent much of the next 33 years travelling in the African interior, eventually becoming as famous for his explorations as for his missionary work. Perhaps his most famous act was reaching and naming Victoria Falls in 1855. In 1871 journalist Henry Stanley tracked the explorer down in Africa, greeting him with the famous words "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" Livingstone died two years later, and after a journey of nearly a year his body was returned to England, where it was buried in Westminster Abbey on 18 April 1874.

Livingstone appears with actress Melanie Griffith in our loop Mauled by Lions.

He joins Dr. Ruth and Doc Holliday in our loop on Famous "Doctors."

Four Good Links

David Livingstone Links

Related links and a brief profile of his wife

Stanley and Livingstone

The basic tale of the two men's famous meeting

Encarta: David Livingstone

The encyclopedia offers its usual bang-up coverage

Livingstone Alone in Africa

His story, with an emphasis on his faith

Vital Stats

Birth

19 March 1813

Birthplace

Blantyre, Scotland

Death

1 May 1873
(dysentery, age 60)

Best Known As

The Livingstone of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"