1962 - Independence of Western Samoa: First Black Pacific Nation to Reclaim Sovereignty

On June 2, 1962, Western Samoa became the first independent Black nation in the Pacific after over 50 years of colonial rule. Formerly a German territory and later administered by New Zealand under a League of Nations mandate, Samoa\’s struggle for independence was rooted in nonviolent resistance, most notably the Mau Movement—a powerful expression of indigenous self-determination led largely by Samoans of African and Polynesian descent. The 1962 independence marked a watershed moment for Black and Indigenous peoples in Oceania, inspiring decolonization efforts across the Pacific and signaling a broader global shift in rejecting European imperial rule. Unlike many African states, Samoa negotiated its independence peacefully, setting a precedent for postcolonial diplomacy. Though rarely included in narratives of Black international liberation, Western Samoa’s emergence as a sovereign nation highlighted the global reach of Black resistance beyond continental Africa and the Americas.