Chinua Achebe died earlier this year, but his legacy helped to establish the African voice in the literary field. He was a groundbreaking writer who involved himself in the political field of his home country of Nigeria, becoming a respected and vocal figure for change. He worked as a teacher in universities in both the United States and Africa, eventually settling in Rhode Island. His book "Things Fall Apart" was published in 1958, and opened the door for African writers to present their work on the world stage. "Things Fall Apart" is about the struggles of a traditional African society – Nigeria's Igbo – as the influence of white Christians colonials began to change their way of life.