Cecil John Rhodes, PC, DCL, (July 5, 1853 – March 26, 1902[1]) was a British-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. Born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire England.

 Founder of the diamond company De Beers. Rhodes is famous for having declared: "To think of these stars that you see overhead at night, these vast worlds which we can never reach. I would annex the planets if I could; I often think of that. It makes me sad to see them so clear and yet so far.".[2]. Rhodes was a very personnable leader who had the ability to inspire others and attract attention to his causes and ideas. In his life he played a major role in the development of British influence in South Africa and across the rest of the continent.

The Vision of Cecil J. Rhodes
(An excerpt from the BBC Special - Rhodes - The Life and Legend of Cecil Rhodes - 1996)

"I have considered the existence of God and decided that there is a fifty fifty chance that God exist. Therefore, I propose to give Him the benefit of the doubt. Now, what would this God want for the world? He would want it well run.
I have viewed the peoples of the world and have come to the conclusion that the English speaking race is the highest ideals of Justice, Liberty and Peace. Therefore, I shall devote the rest of my life to God's purpose and make the world English.
I shall work for the furtherance of the British Empire, the bringing of the whole civilized world under British rule, for the recovery of the United States of America, for the making of the Anglo Saxon world into One Empire. What a dream, and yet it is possible, it is probable.............."

In his last will and testament, he provided for the establishment of the Rhodes Scholarships. The scholarship program enables students from territories under British rule, formerly under British rule, or from Germany, to study at the University of Oxford.

When he died in 1902, Rhodes was considered one of the wealthiest men in the world.