2015 – Burundi Protests Spark Regional Black Resistance Solidarity

On May 22, 2015, massive protests escalated in Bujumbura, Burundi, following President Pierre Nkurunziza\’s controversial bid for a third term. The unrest, led largely by youth and civil society groups, echoed across Africa and the diaspora as a modern example of Black resistance against authoritarianism. Though rooted in local politics, the uprising galvanized a pan-African digital solidarity movement, with activists from South Africa to the U.S. using hashtags and online campaigns to amplify Burundian voices. The movement exposed how power struggles, corruption, and human rights violations intersect with deeper colonial legacies. May 22 is thus remembered as a day of defiance and digital-age resistance, demonstrating the evolving nature of Black liberation movements. From the streets to cyberspace, Burundi’s protest legacy reinforces that the fight for justice in one Black nation reverberates through many. It’s a day for remembering grassroots courage against the machinery of state repression.