1987 – Thomas Sankara's Revolutionary Reforms Broadcast Internationally

On May 15, 1987, Burkina Faso’s President Thomas Sankara addressed an international youth summit in Ouagadougou, detailing his revolutionary reforms in land redistribution, women\’s rights, and anti-debt campaigns. The speech was later broadcast in several African countries, spreading his anti-imperialist message across the continent. Sankara’s bold statements against the IMF and World Bank, and his refusal to pay colonial debt, resonated especially with youth in Africa and the diaspora. His policies inspired global movements for economic sovereignty and environmental justice. May 15 is remembered for this historic address, which became one of Sankara’s last major public speeches before his assassination later that year. It stands as a powerful moment in Pan-African political education and radical governance.