1979 - Rhodesia Renamed Zimbabwe-Rhodesia in Bid for Black Majority Rule

On May 29, 1979, the country of Rhodesia officially became Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, marking a symbolic transition from white-minority rule toward Black majority governance. This shift came after the Internal Settlement agreement between Prime Minister Ian Smith and moderate Black leaders such as Abel Muzorewa, who would become the first Black prime minister. Though not recognized internationally due to the exclusion of key liberation movements like ZANU and ZAPU, the name change signaled the erosion of white colonial control. The move was a precursor to full independence, which occurred less than a year later when the country was formally named Zimbabwe in April 1980 under Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. While short-lived, the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia period reflects a complex and often overlooked transitional chapter in African liberation history.