1975 - Liberation of Angola Declared by MPLA Forces

On June 1, 1975, the MPLA (People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola) declared a provisional government and assumed control over most of Angola’s territory following the Portuguese withdrawal. After years of armed struggle and global Cold War intervention, this announcement set the stage for Angola’s official independence in November. Backed by Cuba and the Soviet Union, the MPLA positioned itself as a vanguard of African socialism and anti-imperialist resistance. The June 1 declaration was both political and symbolic—it represented a break from European colonization and an alignment with broader liberation ideologies across the Black world. It also sparked fears in the West, resulting in support for rival factions like UNITA. Despite ongoing civil war, June 1 marks a foundational moment in Black liberation and global South geopolitics. The Angolan struggle influenced Black political thought from Harlem to Havana.