Kofi Annan began his term as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, making history as the first Black person and the first sub-Saharan... Continue →
On January 1, 1960, Cameroon gained independence from France, becoming the Republic of Cameroon. This marked a significant moment in the broader wave... Continue →
On January 1, 1956, Sudan officially declared its independence from joint British-Egyptian rule. The event marked the emergence of Sudan as a... Continue →
On this day, a federal law went into effect prohibiting the importation of enslaved Africans into the United States. While slavery itself remained... Continue →
Dr. Melvin H. Evans was inaugurated as the first elected governor of the United States Virgin Islands on January 4, 1971. Prior to his election,... Continue →
Archie A. Alexander, architectural engineer and former governor of the Virgin Islands, died on this day in 1958 at the age of 69. He had been... Continue →
C.L.R. James, a Trinidadian historian, journalist, and socialist, was born on this day. He is best known for his influential work The Black Jacobins... Continue →
The first organized emigration to Africa begins as 86 free African Americans depart New York Harbor aboard the Mayflower of Liberia. Their... Continue →
The African National Congress (ANC) was established in Bloemfontein, South Africa, to unite African people and spearhead the struggle for political,... Continue →
On this day, U.S. federal troops and local militias suppressed the 1811 German Coast Uprising in Louisiana, one of the largest slave revolts in U.S.... Continue →
Ahmed Sékou Touré, the first President of Guinea, was born on this day. A key figure in the African independence movement, Touré led Guinea to... Continue →
William D. McCoy, an African American diplomat from Indiana, was appointed as the United States Minister (a role akin to ambassador) to Liberia. His... Continue →
Jacques Dominique Wilkins, Hall of Fame basketball player, was born in Paris, France. Known for his scoring ability and highlight-reel dunks, Wilkins... Continue →
Joe Frazier, Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight boxing champion, was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. Known for his relentless fighting style and... Continue →
On this day, the Bahamas installed its first Black government, a milestone in the nation’s progress toward independence. This political shift... Continue →
The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) of South Africa officially suspended its armed campaign against the apartheid government led by President F.W. de... Continue →
The Third Pan-African Congress convened its first and second sessions on this day in London. Organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and other leading figures,... Continue →
On this day, the United States officially succeeded Denmark as the sovereign authority in the Virgin Islands, marking a major shift in the region's... Continue →
On this day in 1824, Osai Tutu Kwamina, an Ashanti military leader, successfully led forces to defeat the British at Assamaka in present-day Ghana.... Continue →
Haitian liberator Toussaint Louverture entered the city of Santiago in the eastern part of Hispaniola (modern-day Dominican Republic) as part of his... Continue →
On January 23, 1821, minister and former slave Lott Cary departed the United States, leading a group of freed African Americans to West Africa under... Continue →
On January 28, 1997, during South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, former apartheid-era police officers publicly confessed to... Continue →
On January 28, 1970, Arthur Ashe, the first Black man to win Wimbledon, was denied a visa to compete in the South African Open as part of the U.S.... Continue →
On January 29, 1991, Nelson Mandela, then deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC), and Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the Inkatha... Continue →
On January 29, 1966, Charles H. Mahoney, the first African American appointed as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations, passed away. A lawyer,... Continue →
On February 3, 1810, Antonio Ruiz, known as El Negro Falucho, died defending the Argentine flag. A formerly enslaved African who became a soldier, he... Continue →
On February 3, 1969, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) intensified its armed struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. As one... Continue →
On February 5, 1958, Clifton R. Wharton Sr. was confirmed as U.S. Minister to Romania, becoming the first African American to head a U.S. embassy in... Continue →
On February 6, 1974, the Caribbean nation of Grenada achieved independence from Great Britain. Sir Eric Gairy became the country’s first Prime... Continue →
On February 8, 1925, Marcus Garvey, influential Black nationalist and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), entered the... Continue →
On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of imprisonment in South Africa. One of his greatest pleasures—watching the sun... Continue →
Black rights activist Henry Highland Garnet dies, shortly after being appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. Garnet was a powerful... Continue →
During a United Nations session on Congo, nationalists disrupted the proceedings with a dramatic demonstration in honor of Patrice Lumumba, the slain... Continue →
On February 18, 1965, The Gambia gained independence from British colonial rule and became a sovereign nation within the Commonwealth. Dawda Jawara... Continue →
Kwame Nkrumah, the elected leader and first president of Ghana, was overthrown in a military coup while on a peace mission to Vietnam. Nkrumah, a... Continue →
The Dominican Republic declared its independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844, ending 22 years of Haitian rule. Though complex in its racial and... Continue →
On this day, Sergeant Cornelius F. Adjetey was shot and killed by colonial police while leading a peaceful protest of ex-servicemen in Accra,... Continue →
The British colonial government, unable to defeat the Maroons—communities of formerly enslaved Africans who had escaped and formed independent... Continue →
On this dated in 1867, Howard University, in Washington, D. C. named for General Oliver O. Howard, was established.
Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean with a significant population of African and Afro-descendant heritage, achieved independence from... Continue →
On this day, Maurice Bishop led the New Jewel Movement in a bloodless coup that overthrew the Grenadian government, making him the new Prime... Continue →
Rebel troops led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila captured the strategic city of Kisangani during the First Congo War, marking a major turning point in the... Continue →
President Theodore Roosevelt appointed a special committee to investigate political unrest and governance issues in Liberia, a nation founded by... Continue →
On this day, 200 Black Americans departed from Savannah, Georgia, to Liberia in West Africa. Motivated by a desire for self-determination and freedom... Continue →
Gabriel de la Concepción Valdés, also known as "Plácido," was born in Matanzas, Cuba. A poet of African descent, Plácido became renowned for his... Continue →
On March 21, 1990, Namibia officially gained independence from South African rule after decades of colonialism and occupation. The historic event... Continue →
In Sharpeville, South Africa, during a peaceful protest against apartheid pass laws, white South African police opened fire on unarmed Black... Continue →
Alonzo Pietro, a Black navigator from Spain, is believed to have joined Christopher Columbus's expedition that would lead to the European "discovery"... Continue →
Jamaican-born activist Marcus Garvey arrived in the United States on March 23, 1916, laying the groundwork for one of the most influential Black... Continue →
Walter Rodney, a Guyanese historian, political activist, and author of the seminal work How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, was born on this day. A... Continue →
On March 24, 1837, Black men in Canada were officially granted the right to vote. This milestone followed the abolition of slavery in the British... Continue →
Debi Thomas, who would go on to become the first African American to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, was born on this day in Poughkeepsie, New... Continue →
The American Liberian Commission, appointed by President William H. Taft, issued a report recommending financial aid to Liberia and the establishment... Continue →
Samori Touré, founder of the Wassoulou (Wasulu) Empire in West Africa, signed the Treaty of Bisandugu with French colonial forces. Intended as a... Continue →
Though the independence was declared in 1957, Ghana officially became a republic on this date, with Nkrumah sworn in as the first president — a... Continue →
On this day, British colonial officials demanded the sacred Golden Stool of the Ashanti—a symbol of the Ashanti people's soul and sovereignty. The... Continue →
On this day, the United Nations resumed a humanitarian aid program to feed over two million Angolans after the Angolan government lifted a... Continue →
Dr. Eric Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, died in Port of Spain at the age of 79. A pivotal figure in Caribbean politics... Continue →
Barthélemy Boganda, the founding father and first President of the Central African Republic, died in a mysterious plane crash. A former Catholic... Continue →
Jesse Owens, the legendary track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, died at age 66 in Tucson, Arizona. Owens’... Continue →
Jack Johnson, the first Black man to win the world heavyweight boxing title, was born in Galveston, Texas. He became champion in 1908 after defeating... Continue →
Olaudah Equiano, a formerly enslaved African who became a prominent abolitionist and author, died in London. His autobiography, The Interesting... Continue →
Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia, the first and only reigning female monarch of modern Ethiopia, died on this day in 1930. She ruled from 1916 to 1930,... Continue →
In the wake of the Civil War, Black citizens in Tuscumbia, Alabama, voted in a municipal election for the first time. Although this marked a... Continue →
John Mercer Langston was elected clerk of Brownhelm Township in Ohio, making him one of the first African Americans ever elected to public office in... Continue →
Ras Tafari Makonnen was formally proclaimed Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, marking the beginning of a transformative reign. A symbol of... Continue →
Senegal officially gained independence from France on April 4, 1960, marking the end of colonial rule and the beginning of sovereign nationhood.... Continue →
Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett, then Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant as U.S.... Continue →
The Dunghutti Aboriginal people of New South Wales reached a historic agreement with the Australian government, securing the first successful claim... Continue →
Nana Annor Adjaye, a respected Ghanaian statesman and Pan-Africanist, passed away in Western Nzima, Ghana. A prominent advocate for African unity and... Continue →
Liberian President William R. Tolbert Jr. and twenty-seven government officials were assassinated during a military coup led by Master Sergeant... Continue →
Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, a pioneering political leader and advocate for Caribbean self-governance, was born in Barbados on... Continue →
At the All-African People’s Conference held in Accra, Ghana, April 15 was declared African Freedom Day. This landmark event, attended by... Continue →
On April 15, 1980, Zimbabwe officially gained its independence from British colonial rule, ending decades of white minority governance under the name... Continue →
Elizabeth Catlett, a renowned African American lithographer and sculptor, was born in Washington, D.C. She became the first woman to teach sculpture... Continue →
On April 17, 1758, Francis Williams—an Afro-Caribbean scholar, educator, and poet—published a collection of Latin poetry that demonstrated the... Continue →
On April 18, 1989, Zimbabwe marked the 9th anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule. The country gained official independence on... Continue →
On April 18, 1980, Zimbabwe officially declared its independence from British colonial rule after nearly a century of foreign domination. Formerly... Continue →
On April 18, 1980, reggae icon Robert Nesta Marley—better known as Bob Marley—performed at Zimbabwe’s official Independence Day celebration in... Continue →
On April 18, 1955, the Bandung Conference opened in Bandung, Indonesia, bringing together leaders from 29 African and Asian nations. Known as the... Continue →
On April 19, 1989, Sierra Leone marked the 18th anniversary of its transition to a republic. Originally gaining independence from British colonial... Continue →
On April 19, 1971, Sierra Leone officially became a republic, marking a significant step in its post-colonial evolution. The West African nation had... Continue →
On April 21, 1966, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, made a historic state visit to Kingston, Jamaica, and was greeted by... Continue →
On April 21, 1878, the ship Azor departed Charleston, South Carolina, carrying 206 Black Americans seeking a new life in Liberia. Sponsored by the... Continue →
On April 22, 1966, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I made a historic visit to Jamaica, marking a turning point for the global Rastafari movement.... Continue →
On April 23, 1971, William V.S. Tubman, the 19th President of Liberia, died while still in office after 27 years of leadership—the longest... Continue →
On April 26, 1994, South Africa held its first all-race democratic elections, marking the official end of apartheid and a monumental shift toward... Continue →
On April 26, 1785, John James Audubon was born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), to a French naval officer and an African Caribbean mother.... Continue →
On April 27, 1964, the Republic of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar united to form the United Republic of Tanzania. This historic... Continue →
On April 27, 1961, Sierra Leone officially gained independence from British colonial rule, becoming a sovereign nation under Prime Minister Sir... Continue →
On April 27, 1972, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and a towering figure in African liberation movements, died at the age of 62 while in... Continue →
On April 27, 1960, the Republic of Togo gained full independence from French colonial rule, becoming the first West African nation to achieve... Continue →
On April 28, 1992, a group of young, disillusioned soldiers staged a coup d’état in Freetown, Sierra Leone, overthrowing the government of... Continue →
On April 30, 1828, Shaka kaSenzangakhona, the formidable founder of the Zulu Kingdom, was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana.... Continue →
On April 30, 711 AD, General Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Nafza Berber commander, led approximately 7,000 troops across the Strait of Gibraltar from North... Continue →
On May 1, 1946, William H. Hastie was confirmed as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, making history as the first African American to serve as... Continue →
On May 1, 1950, Kwame Nkrumah led the Convention People's Party (CPP) in launching the “Positive Action” campaign against British colonial rule... Continue →
May 1, 1960 marked the first celebration of International Workers’ Day in Nigeria as it approached full independence from Britain (officially... Continue →
While the infamous Haymarket Affair occurred in Chicago on May 1, 1886, less known is the support it garnered among Black Caribbean labor thinkers,... Continue →
On May 1, 1994, just days after its first multiracial democratic elections, South Africa celebrated its most symbolic Workers’ Day in modern... Continue →
Though assassinated in February 1965, Malcolm X’s final writings and speeches had a profound impact on African labor leaders who gathered on May 1... Continue →
Under the socialist-leaning People’s Revolutionary Government, led by Maurice Bishop, Grenada declared May 1 a public holiday in 1978 to honor... Continue →
In May 1935, a group of prominent African and Caribbean intellectuals, including C.L.R. James and George Padmore, met in London during May Day... Continue →
On May 1, 1979, Brazil saw one of its largest labor protests under the military dictatorship, and Afro-Brazilian workers played a prominent role. For... Continue →
While Haiti officially declared its independence from France on January 1, 1804, May 1, 1804 marks the day Jean-Jacques Dessalines publicly... Continue →
On May 2, 1803, Toussaint Louverture, the brilliant leader of the Haitian Revolution, died in a French prison in Fort-de-Joux. Louverture had been... Continue →
On May 2, 1994, just days before officially becoming South Africa’s first Black president, Nelson Mandela cast his ballot in the country's first... Continue →
On May 2, 1984, Michael Jackson embarked on a major tour in Japan, marking one of the earliest large-scale performances by a Black American... Continue →
On May 2, 1973, President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) formally advanced his policy of “Authenticité,” a... Continue →
On May 2, 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf officially launched her campaign for the presidency of Liberia. A Harvard-educated economist and long-time... Continue →
On May 2, 2000, the BBC launched “Black Britain,” a landmark program focused on the lives, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities in the... Continue →
On May 2, 1948, future Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah launched the Accra Evening News, a revolutionary newspaper that became the mouthpiece of the... Continue →
Macon Bolling Allen, first African American lawyer admitted to the bar, passed examination at Worchester, Massachusetts. Macon B. Allen was the... Continue →
Elijah McCoy, born in Colchester, Ontario, to formerly enslaved parents, became one of the most prolific inventors in North America. His... Continue →
After decades of anti-colonial struggle against Portuguese rule and a long civil war, Angola was officially admitted as a full member of the United... Continue →
Although Jomo Kenyatta died in August, May 3, 1978, marked an important national day of mourning declared in his honor by many African states.... Continue →
On May 3, 1948, Jamaica officially celebrated its first national Labor Day to honor the critical role of workers, particularly Black laborers who... Continue →
On May 3, 1791, Toussaint Louverture achieved his first significant military victory against French forces in what would become the Haitian... Continue →
Zakaria Mohieddin, a key figure in Egypt's 1952 revolution that ended monarchy rule, died on May 3, 1969. Though not as globally recognized as Gamal... Continue →
On May 3, 1960, the foundations of what would become the Nigeria Labour Congress were laid, unifying various labor movements under a common banner.... Continue →
Though the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria, occurred on April 14, the #BringBackOurGirls movement reached peak global... Continue →
On May 3, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a powerful speech in London condemning apartheid in South Africa and linking it to racial... Continue →
On May 3, 1948, Kwame Nkrumah, galvanized by the recent Accra Riots and the failure of colonial reforms, began organizing the political movement that... Continue →
Born May 4, 1928, in Liberia, Hosanna Kabakoro later became a U.S.-based journalist who used her platform to advocate for African rights during the... Continue →
Kwame Nkrumah, born May 4, 1904, in Nkroful, Gold Coast (now Ghana), became the first Prime Minister and President of independent Ghana. A visionary... Continue →
On May 4, 1919, Marcus Garvey’s Negro World newspaper officially launched its expanded international operations. Published by the Universal Negro... Continue →
Born on May 4, 1948, in Monrovia, Liberia, George Weah rose from humble beginnings to become one of Africa’s greatest footballers and later the... Continue →
On May 4, 1956, while visiting the Gold Coast (soon-to-be Ghana), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a private speech to a group of Ghanaian... Continue →
On May 4, 1978, Senegalese scholar and activist Alioune Diop died. Diop founded Présence Africaine, a Paris-based journal and publishing house that... Continue →
On May 4, 1994, after South Africa’s historic democratic elections, it was officially confirmed that Nelson Mandela and the African National... Continue →
On May 4, 1839, Prince Alemayehu, the son of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia, was born — a figure whose life became a poignant symbol of colonial... Continue →
Robert S. Abbott was founded The Chicago Defender with an initial investment of 25 cents. The Defender, which was once heralded as "The World's... Continue →
Mary Prince, born on May 5, 1809, in Bermuda, became the first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain, titled The History of Mary Prince... Continue →
Jean Cinéas, born on May 5, 1805, was a prominent Haitian jurist and political thinker. A direct descendant of revolutionary leaders, he played a... Continue →
On May 5, 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on Saint Helena. His death marked a pivotal shift for Haiti, which had been forced to negotiate... Continue →
On May 5, 1949, Martiniquan poet and politician Aimé Césaire released his seminal work, Discourse on Colonialism. In this fiery essay, Césaire... Continue →
Samia Nkrumah, daughter of Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah and future Parliamentarian, was born on May 5, 1956. Educated internationally, she... Continue →
On May 5, 1963, delegates from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa to draft what would become the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Although... Continue →
Although Bobby Sands, the Irish hunger striker, died on May 5, 1981, the event resonated across racial lines. Black activists in the U.S., South... Continue →
On May 5, 1994, the first democratically elected South African Parliament opened after the fall of apartheid, with Nelson Mandela preparing to assume... Continue →
On May 5, 2010, the African Union officially launched the "Great Green Wall" project, a massive effort to combat desertification across the Sahel... Continue →
President Eisenhower signed Civil Rights Act of 1960. The Civil Rights Act of 1960 (Pub.L. 86–449, 74 Stat. 89, enacted May 6, 1960) was a United... Continue →
On May 6, 1954, British runner Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile barrier, an achievement that stunned the world. His feat rippled far beyond... Continue →
On May 6, 1989, Alton Byrd, one of the United Kingdom’s top basketball talents, signed with the Sacramento Kings, marking a rare British addition... Continue →
On May 6, 1963, The Fire Next Time was officially published in the United Kingdom. James Baldwin’s searing essays explored race relations in... Continue →
On May 6, 1960, Nigeria conducted one of its last parliamentary elections under British colonial rule. These elections paved the way for the... Continue →
On May 6, 1984, South African anti-apartheid leader Mamphela Ramphele was officially banned and confined to the town of Tzaneen. A medical doctor and... Continue →
On May 6, 1954, women in the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) organized a massive demonstration against colonial injustices. Inspired by the growing... Continue →
On May 6, 1965, news of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches in the U.S. reached Caribbean islands like Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, fueling Black... Continue →
Born on May 6, 1921, Sophie Masite would grow up to become one of South Africa’s pioneering Black women politicians. She later became the first... Continue →
On May 6, 1902, African-American soldiers known as Buffalo Soldiers were deployed to the Philippines during the Philippine-American War. Many Black... Continue →
On May 6, 1994, following South Africa's first fully democratic elections, Nelson Mandela addressed the international community, affirming a... Continue →
On May 6, 1830, growing opposition against Haitian President Jean-Pierre Boyer erupted into widespread unrest. Boyer had initially unified Haiti but... Continue →
On May 6, 1901, Afro-Mexican entrepreneur William Henry Ellis, born into slavery in Texas but passing as Mexican to navigate racial barriers,... Continue →
On May 7, 1976, William H. Hastie was inaugurated as the first Black governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, marking a pivotal moment in U.S.... Continue →
On May 7, 1885, Dr. John E. W. Thompson—an African American graduate of Yale University Medical School—was appointed U.S. Minister Resident and... Continue →
Joseph Jenkins Roberts, a free Black man from Virginia, set sail for Liberia on May 7, 1840. He would become Liberia’s first Black governor and... Continue →
On May 7, 1919, reports of the Amritsar Massacre (April 13) reached wider Black audiences in the Caribbean and Africa. British colonial forces killed... Continue →
On May 7, 1954, Kwame Nkrumah led the Convention People's Party (CPP) to a major victory in Gold Coast (Ghana) elections. The win showed overwhelming... Continue →
On May 7, 1963, African leaders were deep in negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The OAU,... Continue →
On May 7, 1986, Liberian President Samuel Doe declared emergency measures to suppress rising opposition. His authoritarian leadership, initially... Continue →
On May 7, 1994, Nelson Mandela finalized preparations for his inauguration as South Africa’s first Black president after centuries of colonialism... Continue →
On May 7, 2002, Brazil launched a major government initiative focused on increasing Afro-Brazilian visibility, rights, and representation. Known as... Continue →
On May 7, 2017, following Emmanuel Macron’s election as President of France, conversations about the legacy of Christiane Taubira, France’s first... Continue →
On May 8, 1945 — the same day World War II officially ended in Europe — a peaceful demonstration in the Algerian town of Sétif turned into a... Continue →
On May 8, 1876, Truganini, a Nuenonne woman of the Palawa people and one of the most well-known Aboriginal Tasmanians, died in Hobart at the age of... Continue →
On May 8, 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker made history as the first African American to play Major League Baseball, appearing for the Toledo Blue... Continue →
By May 8, 1792, the Haitian Revolution—the only successful slave revolt in history—was gaining unstoppable momentum. Black insurgents, many... Continue →
By May 8, 1970, Steve Biko and the South African Students\' Organisation (SASO) had successfully catalyzed the Black Consciousness Movement.... Continue →
On May 8, 1996, South Africa’s Constitutional Assembly formally adopted a new constitution, hailed as one of the most progressive in the world. It... Continue →
At a May 8, 1923 session of the Fourth Pan-African Congress held in London, W.E.B. Du Bois and other leaders called for African self-rule and an end... Continue →
On May 8, 1902, Walter Tull was born in Folkestone, England. Tull broke racial barriers in early 20th-century Britain, becoming one of the first... Continue →
On May 8, 1958, Black African soldiers conscripted by France found themselves increasingly drawn into the bloody Algerian War of Independence.... Continue →
On May 8, 1945 — the same day Europe celebrated the end of World War II — thousands of Malagasy people in Madagascar rose up against French... Continue →
John Brown Russwurm, born May 9, 1800, in Jamaica, became one of the first African American college graduates in the United States and a co-founder... Continue →
On May 9, 1899, the African Political Organization (APO) was founded in Cape Town, South Africa. Initially formed to fight discriminatory laws... Continue →
Marcus Garvey officially launched the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) on May 9, 1916, in Kingston, Jamaica. His vision was clear: a... Continue →
On May 9, 1921, representatives from the South African Native National Congress (later the African National Congress or ANC) traveled to London to... Continue →
May 9, 1945, marked celebrations across Europe for the end of World War II. Thousands of African soldiers from colonies such as Nigeria, Senegal,... Continue →
On May 9, 1950, Eslanda Robeson, anthropologist, journalist, and activist (and wife of Paul Robeson), delivered powerful advocacy at the United... Continue →
Although Groundings with My Brothers was officially published later, on May 9, 1967, historian Walter Rodney delivered key lectures in Jamaica that... Continue →
On May 9, 1980, Zimbabwe, newly independent from British colonial rule, was formally admitted into the United Nations. Led by Prime Minister Robert... Continue →
On May 9, 2002, South Africa hosted the inaugural summit of the African Union (AU) in Durban, a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU).... Continue →
On May 9, 1963, African leaders met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to finalize the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), an institution... Continue →
On May 10, 1994, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was inaugurated as the first Black and democratically elected President of South Africa. Held at the Union... Continue →
On May 10, 1967, Stokely Carmichael (later known as Kwame Ture), a Trinidadian-born civil rights activist, delivered a groundbreaking speech at... Continue →
Born in St. Croix on May 10, 1881, Hubert Harrison became one of the most influential Black intellectuals of the early 20th century. Often called the... Continue →
On May 10, 1979, Black British and Caribbean activists staged coordinated protests in response to Margaret Thatcher’s harsh immigration rhetoric... Continue →
On May 10, 1801, Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture was deceitfully captured by French forces and deported to France. Invited under... Continue →
On May 10, 1903, the African Society was formally established in London to promote African culture, scholarship, and political thought. Founded by... Continue →
On May 10, 1981, the Ghanaian government under President Hilla Limann approved plans to construct a national mausoleum in honor of Kwame Nkrumah,... Continue →
On May 10, 1968, Tom Mboya, a prominent Kenyan politician and architect of the nation’s independence, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in... Continue →
On May 10, 1983, Prime Minister Maurice Bishop of Grenada delivered a fiery speech warning of increasing U.S. hostility toward his socialist... Continue →
On May 10, 1903, Ethiopia commemorated the decisive victory at the Battle of Adwa (1896) with the first National Unity Day celebration under Emperor... Continue →
On May 10, 1933, Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott) was born in The Bronx, New York. A classically trained violinist and former calypso... Continue →
On May 11, 1934, Sierra Leonean artist Asadata Dafora premiered his groundbreaking opera-dance drama Kykunkor (The Witch Woman) at the Little Theater... Continue →
On May 11, 1946, Ruben Um Nyobé, a Cameroonian teacher and nationalist, presented a petition to the United Nations on behalf of Cameroon’s... Continue →
On May 11, 1981, Bob Marley, the Jamaican singer and global icon, passed away at just 36. More than a musician, Marley was a spiritual and political... Continue →
On May 11, 1987, Paul Boateng was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent South, marking a pivotal moment in British politics. A British... Continue →
On May 11, 1960, anti-apartheid activist Helen Joseph survived a failed assassination attempt outside her home in Johannesburg. Though white, Joseph... Continue →
On May 11, 1893, Trinidadian lawyer Henry Sylvester-Williams publicly proposed a conference to address the global concerns of African-descended... Continue →
François Bozizé, future president of the Central African Republic, was born on May 11, 1951, in Mouila, Gabon. His presidency (2003–2013) marked... Continue →
On May 11, 2000, the final volume of South Africa\'s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report was released. Chaired by Archbishop Desmond... Continue →
On May 11, 1982, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) officially adopted Africa Day as an annual observance across its member nations. Though the... Continue →
On May 11, 1946, Kwame Nkrumah returned to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) after years studying and organizing in the United States and the UK. Upon his... Continue →
Jean-Baptiste Belley, a former slave turned revolutionary leader and French legislator, died on May 11, 1871. Born in Senegal and enslaved in... Continue →
On May 11, 1963, Nguy?n V?n Tr?i, a young Vietnamese electrician and revolutionary with Afro-Asian heritage, was sentenced to death by South... Continue →
On May 12, 1958, a pivotal summit of leading African American civil rights figures was convened in Washington, D.C. The gathering aimed to accelerate... Continue →
Lincoln Alexander was born on May 12, 1900, in Toronto, Canada. He would become the first Black Member of Parliament (MP) in Canadian history in... Continue →
On May 12, 1994, South Africa’s first democratic and multiracial Parliament was formally opened following the end of apartheid. Nelson Mandela had... Continue →
On May 12, 1900, during the Paris Exposition, Anténor Firmin’s groundbreaking 1885 work The Equality of the Human Races resurfaced among... Continue →
On May 12, 1948, the National Party of South Africa formally enacted apartheid after winning the general election. This began the legal codification... Continue →
On May 12, 1994, following the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela’s new government appointed the first Black South African ambassadors to key foreign... Continue →
Born on May 12, 1915, in Trinidad, Claudia Jones would go on to become one of the most important voices in Black British history. After migrating to... Continue →
On May 12, 1977, a smuggled speech by South African activist Steve Biko was leaked to the international press. Biko, who had been silenced under... Continue →
On May 12, 1803, fragments of Toussaint Louverture’s memoirs, written while imprisoned at Fort de Joux, were smuggled out of France and reached... Continue →
On May 12, 1961, Jomo Kenyatta—Kenya’s foremost nationalist leader and anti-colonial activist—was officially released from colonial restriction... Continue →
On May 13, 1888, Brazil passed the \"Lei Áurea\" or \"Golden Law,\" formally abolishing slavery in the country—the last nation in the Western... Continue →
On May 13, 1888, Brazil officially abolished slavery with the signing of the \"Lei Áurea\" or Golden Law by Princess Isabel. This historic act freed... Continue →
On May 13, 1950, South Africa rejected United Nations calls to end racial discrimination, doubling down on its apartheid system. This act marked a... Continue →
On May 13, 1969, Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture), a leading voice in the global Black Power movement, addressed the Pan-African Cultural Festival in... Continue →
On May 13, 1960, Senegalese poet and statesman Léopold Sédar Senghor delivered a speech outlining his vision for “African Socialism” during a... Continue →
On May 13, 1975, Angola was granted full membership in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) ahead of its official independence from Portugal later... Continue →
On May 13, 1842, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, a free Black man from Virginia and prominent settler in Liberia, delivered a pivotal speech advocating for... Continue →
Although Nelson Mandela was officially inaugurated on May 10, 1994, the global celebration of his leadership continued throughout the week,... Continue →
On May 13, 1943, members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica held a memorial for Marcus Garvey, who had passed away... Continue →
On May 13, 1909, the West African Bank Corporation was established in Lagos, Nigeria, becoming one of the earliest African-owned financial... Continue →
John B. Mclendon becomes first African American American Basketball Association (ABA) head coach and the first African American professional head... Continue →
On May 14, 1888, Brazil formally abolished slavery with the passage of the Lei Áurea (Golden Law), ending centuries of enslavement in the largest... Continue →
On May 14, 1885, the Congo Free State was formally established under the personal control of King Leopold II of Belgium. What was promoted as a... Continue →
Catharina van der Zee, a prominent figure descended from enslaved people brought to South Africa by Dutch settlers, was born on May 14, 1796. Living... Continue →
On May 14, 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. met with Kenyan Vice President Oginga Odinga during a visit to East Africa. The meeting symbolized a... Continue →
On May 14, 1945, just days after VE Day, African soldiers serving in the French army participated in the liberation of Austrian and German towns.... Continue →
On May 14, 1804, Haitian leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines issued one of the early decrees reaffirming Haiti’s independence from France. This came... Continue →
The third Pan-African Congress concluded on May 14, 1921, in London. Organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and British-African intellectuals, the event brought... Continue →
On May 14, 1963, the British colonial government in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) arrested leading figures from the United National Independence... Continue →
On May 14, 1857, Mary Ann Shadd Cary published an editorial in the Provincial Freeman, one of Canada’s first anti-slavery newspapers. An African... Continue →
On May 14, 2000, Colombia’s Constitutional Court upheld the territorial rights of Afro-Colombian communities under Law 70. Originally passed in... Continue →
On May 14, 1854, William Cuffay, a Black British political activist and former leader of the Chartist movement, died in exile in Tasmania. Born in... Continue →
On May 15, 1957, André-Marie Mbida made history by becoming the first Prime Minister of Cameroon, then still under French colonial rule. As the... Continue →
On May 15, 2002, Halle Berry received special recognition at the Cannes Film Festival following her historic Academy Award win for Monster’s Ball.... Continue →
On May 15, 1990, student-led demonstrations across U.S. and European campuses called for increased pressure on South Africa to fully dismantle... Continue →
On May 15, 1923, South African women organized under the African National Congress (ANC) to form what would later become the ANC Women’s League.... Continue →
By May 15, 1948, in the wake of violent clashes between British colonial police and African veterans in Accra, Ghana (then the Gold Coast), the... Continue →
On May 15, 1958, in Accra, Ghana, African leaders gathered for the All-African Peoples’ Conference where they adopted principles later reflected in... Continue →
On May 15, 1961, four months after the assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, African and Caribbean leaders held a memorial across... Continue →
On May 15, 1969, the Jamaican government barred Guyanese scholar Dr. Walter Rodney from returning to his teaching post at the University of the West... Continue →
On May 15, 1972, President Mobutu Sese Seko of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially renamed the country “Zaire” as part of his... Continue →
On May 15, 1987, Burkina Faso’s President Thomas Sankara addressed an international youth summit in Ouagadougou, detailing his revolutionary... Continue →
On May 15, 1991, Nelson Mandela was elected President of the African National Congress (ANC), officially taking over leadership of South Africa’s... Continue →
On May 15, 2002, the African Union officially endorsed the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), an ambitious program aimed at ending... Continue →
On May 15, 1901, Charlotte Maxeke, one of South Africa’s most influential early activists, co-founded the African Methodist Episcopal (AME)... Continue →
Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett was appointed on May 16, 1870, as the first African American diplomat to a foreign country, serving as U.S. Minister... Continue →
On May 16, 1983, the Republic of Ghana issued a commemorative stamp honoring reggae icon Bob Marley, two years after his death. Though Jamaican by... Continue →
On May 16, 1957, Ghana’s Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah made a historic diplomatic visit to Liberia following Ghana’s independence from British... Continue →
On May 16, 1983, anti-apartheid leader Walter Sisulu was re-arrested by South African authorities despite already serving a life sentence since the... Continue →
On May 16, 1871, Brazilian authorities violently suppressed an Afro-Brazilian revolt in the province of Bahia, where resistance to slavery and racial... Continue →
On May 16, 1975, American activist Angela Davis delivered a keynote speech at the Federation of Cuban Women conference in Havana. Davis, an outspoken... Continue →
On May 16, 1881, the intellectual foundation for African American scholarly advancement was laid with the founding of the American Negro Academy in... Continue →
On May 16, 1994, Jamaica passed the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, significantly expanding protections for civil liberties, including... Continue →
On May 16, 1930, Ras Tafari Makonnen, soon to be crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I, conducted an official tour of southern Ethiopia to consolidate... Continue →
On May 16, 1951, the First Pan-African Women’s Conference convened in Dakar, Senegal—marking a critical but underrecognized moment in global... Continue →
On this day, rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila seized power in Zaire, ending the 37-year dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko. Upon taking control,... Continue →
On May 17, 1961, a Jamaican delegation held crucial talks with British officials in London to finalize terms for Jamaica’s independence. These... Continue →
On May 17, 1977, thousands gathered in London to commemorate African Liberation Day, calling for the end of apartheid and neocolonialism across... Continue →
On May 17, 1980, Zimbabwe was officially recognized as a full member of the Commonwealth of Nations, following its independence from British colonial... Continue →
On May 17, 2009, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set an unofficial world record in the rarely run 150-meter race during the Great City Games in... Continue →
On May 17, 1963, a large protest led by Kenyan women took place in Nairobi against the continued imprisonment of political activists under British... Continue →
On May 17, 1991, Nelson Mandela addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress during his post-prison tour to gain international support for ending... Continue →
On May 17, 1956, Ghanaian Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah officially legalized the Convention People\'s Party (CPP), a decisive moment in Ghana’s path... Continue →
Ernie Davis, an American football halfback at Syracuse University and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, dies... Continue →
Yannick Noah, one of the most celebrated Afro-European athletes in tennis history, was born on May 18, 1960, in Sedan, France, to a Cameroonian... Continue →
On May 18, 1814, during the War of 1812, the British officially formed the Corps of Colonial Marines—military units composed of formerly enslaved... Continue →
On May 18, 1956, the groundwork was laid for the All-African People’s Conference (AAPC) when leaders from across the continent initiated planning... Continue →
On May 19, 1965, Patricia Roberts Harris was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, making her the... Continue →
On May 19, Pan-Africanists often reflect on Cuba’s pivotal role in African liberation, particularly the decisive victory at the Battle of Cuito... Continue →
On May 19, 1943, future Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah earned a theology degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, marking a pivotal moment... Continue →
On May 19, 1963, African leaders convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to finalize plans for the historic formation of the Organization of African Unity... Continue →
On May 19, 1935, Afro-Cuban laborers in Havana organized mass protests against U.S. imperialist influence and local racial exploitation. The protests... Continue →
On May 19, 1948, Jomo Kenyatta, a key architect of Kenya’s independence, won a major political victory when he was elected president of the Kenya... Continue →
On May 19, 1950, anti-colonial protests escalated into full-scale riots in Port of Spain, Trinidad, triggered by rising food prices, racial... Continue →
On May 19, 1987, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela delivered a powerful speech to United Nations delegates in Geneva, demanding global sanctions against... Continue →
On May 19, 1962, during the final months of the Algerian War of Independence, Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) launched its national radio... Continue →
Born on May 20, 1743, in Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti), Toussaint Louverture became the architect of the only successful slave revolt in modern... Continue →
On May 20, 1805, Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines of Haiti issued Haiti\'s second constitution, reaffirming the total abolition of slavery. This... Continue →
May 20, 1902, marks the official date of Cuban independence from U.S. military occupation, and it’s essential to highlight the key role Afro-Cuban... Continue →
On May 20, 1923, Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), was convicted of mail fraud in the United States—a... Continue →
On May 20, 1975, Amílcar Cabral, revolutionary leader of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, was posthumously honored by the Organization of African Unity... Continue →
On May 20, 1960, Togo became a member of the United Nations shortly after gaining independence from France on April 27 of the same year. Togo’s... Continue →
On May 20, 1988, Brazil passed legislation to officially recognize Zumbi dos Palmares as a national hero, exactly 100 years after the abolition of... Continue →
On May 20, 1968, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2396, formally condemning South Africa’s apartheid regime and calling on... Continue →
On May 20, 1945, planning intensified for the historic Fifth Pan-African Congress, which would be held in Manchester later that year. Led by George... Continue →
On May 20, 2001, Ophelia Hoff Saytumah was elected as the Mayor of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia—becoming the city’s first Black woman to hold... Continue →
On May 21, 1966, Guyana achieved independence from Britain after decades of colonial rule. As the first English-speaking country in South America to... Continue →
The First Pan-African Congress officially concluded on May 21, 1904, in London, marking a foundational moment in global Black unity. Led by Henry... Continue →
On May 21, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Ghana, deepening his international commitment to Black liberation. Invited by President Kwame... Continue →
May 21, 1994, marked Malawi’s first multi-party democratic elections, ending three decades of one-party rule under Hastings Banda. This historic... Continue →
On May 21, 1966, deposed Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah began his political exile in Guinea following a CIA-backed coup earlier that year. Once the... Continue →
On May 21, 1833, several African American abolitionists attended the British Anti-Slavery Convention in London, forging vital international... Continue →
On May 21, 1988, South African students led coordinated protests across the nation demanding an end to apartheid education policies and political... Continue →
On May 21, 2000, African heads of state gathered in Lomé, Togo, to promote the African Renaissance campaign during the Organization of African Unity... Continue →
On May 21, 1799, revolutionary forces in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) secured a strategic victory at the Battle of Tiburon during the Haitian... Continue →
On May 22, 1963, African leaders convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to establish the Organization of African Unity (OAU), marking a pivotal moment in... Continue →
On May 22, 1856, Tiyo Soga, a Xhosa intellectual and freedom advocate, was ordained in the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, becoming the first... Continue →
On May 22, 1990, North and South Yemen officially unified, forming the Republic of Yemen. While often overlooked in Black history, this geopolitical... Continue →
On May 22, 2010, Portia Simpson Miller was re-elected as President of the People’s National Party, setting the stage for her second term as... Continue →
On May 22, 1969, Equatorial Guinea officially became the 128th member of the United Nations. Having gained independence from Spain just a year prior,... Continue →
On May 22, 2015, massive protests escalated in Bujumbura, Burundi, following President Pierre Nkurunziza\'s controversial bid for a third term. The... Continue →
On May 22, 1946, the body of Marcus Mosiah Garvey was returned to Jamaica from London, five years after his death. This symbolic act reconnected the... Continue →
On May 22, 1910, the Union Constitution of South Africa was enacted, uniting four colonies into one white-dominated state. This constitution codified... Continue →
On May 22, 1991, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF) captured Asmara, effectively ending Ethiopia’s control over the region and... Continue →
On May 22, 1967, escalating tensions in southeastern Nigeria reached a boiling point as Lieutenant Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu intensified preparations... Continue →
On May 22, 1961, the world began to learn the full scope of Belgian and Western complicity in African neo-colonialism when excerpts from Patrice... Continue →
Neville Bonner, a respected Aboriginal leader and president of the One People of Australia League, was selected to fill a Senate vacancy, becoming... Continue →
On May 23, 1878, attorney John Henry Smyth was appointed as U.S. Minister to Liberia. A prominent African American diplomat and advocate for civil... Continue →
Scipio Africanus Jones Jr. was born on May 23, 1910, into a legacy of Black excellence and civil rights. As a U.S. diplomat, he was stationed in... Continue →
On May 23, 1992, Angola and Cuba signed the final military accord confirming Cuba’s full troop withdrawal after nearly 15 years of support in the... Continue →
On May 23, 1963, thirty-two African nations convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU), a historic milestone... Continue →
On May 23, 1958, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed the Ghanaian Parliament during his post-independence visit to Ghana, one of the first African... Continue →
William Craft, born on May 23, 1805, famously escaped slavery with his wife Ellen Craft through a daring disguise in 1848. After their escape, the... Continue →
On May 23, 2000, African ministers met in Abuja, Nigeria, for the first African Ministerial Conference on Water (AMCOW), addressing water security... Continue →
On May 23, 1949, Haiti declared a national day of mourning for W.E.B. Du Bois after false reports of his death circulated. Although premature, the... Continue →
On May 23, 1900, Queen Victoria met with a Zulu delegation from South Africa amid growing unrest during the Second Boer War. While largely symbolic,... Continue →
On May 23, 1977, the Zimbabwe African People\'s Union (ZAPU) formalized its military alliance with the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army... Continue →
On May 23, 1832, a petition signed by thousands of Jamaicans calling for the abolition of slavery was formally read in the British Parliament. As... Continue →
On May 23, 1963, Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, played a pivotal yet often overlooked role in shaping the future of African unity during... Continue →
After a brutal 30-year struggle, Eritrea officially declared independence from Ethiopia on May 24, 1993. The conflict, which began in 1961, was one... Continue →
Patricia Louise Holte is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She will rise to international fame under the name Patti LaBelle, becoming one of the... Continue →
On May 24, 1975, African Liberation Day was marked with mass rallies across the United States in solidarity with anti-colonial movements on the... Continue →
Jean-Baptiste Riché, a pivotal figure in Haitian military and political history, was born on May 24, 1822. Rising through the military ranks after... Continue →
On May 24, 1963, leaders from 32 African nations came together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU)—the... Continue →
On May 24, 1969, Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, concluded her historic goodwill visit to several African... Continue →
On May 24, 1941, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie returned triumphantly to Addis Ababa after five years of exile during Italy’s occupation of... Continue →
On May 24, 1960, Patrice Lumumba, soon to be the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, delivered a stirring address to Ghana’s... Continue →
On May 25, 1986, approximately 30 million people across 76 countries participated in pop singer Bob Geldof's "Race Against Time." This global relay... Continue →
On this day, Jamaica Kincaid was born in St. John's, Antigua. A celebrated novelist and essayist, Kincaid would go on to write powerful works such as... Continue →
On May 25, 1963, leaders from 32 African nations met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and established the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the precursor... Continue →
On May 25, 1948, South Africa’s National Party officially introduced apartheid, a system of legalized racial segregation that would dominate the... Continue →
On May 25, 1969, a military coup in Sudan led by Colonel Gaafar Nimeiry overthrew the civilian government, marking a turning point in Sudanese... Continue →
While Sang-Hyun Song of South Korea took office as President of the International Criminal Court on May 25, 2010, he succeeded Navanethem Pillay of... Continue →
On May 25, 2000—Africa Day—the government of Senegal announced plans for the African Renaissance Monument, a 160-foot statue to be built in Dakar... Continue →
On May 25, 1972, Guyana, under Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, nationalized its bauxite industry—one of the nation’s most valuable natural... Continue →
On May 25, 2008, the African Union launched Africa Science and Technology Day, aligning it with Africa Day to promote innovation, research, and STEM... Continue →
On May 25, 2015, Nigerian economist Akinwumi Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), marking a new chapter in... Continue →
On May 25, 1963, 32 African nations gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU), a pivotal moment in Black... Continue →
On May 26, 1943, President Edwin Barclay of Liberia became the first African head of state to pay an official visit to a U.S. president at the White... Continue →
Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin was born in Moscow on May 26, 1799. Of African descent through his great-grandfather Abram Petrovich Gannibal—an... Continue →
On May 26, 1956, Althea Gibson made history by winning the French Open, becoming the first African American to clinch a Grand Slam tennis title. Her... Continue →
On May 26, 1966, Guyana achieved independence from British colonial rule, becoming a sovereign nation. This significant milestone marked the end of... Continue →
On May 26, 1983, the Jamaican government officially declared February 6, Bob Marley\'s birthday, a national holiday to honor the legendary... Continue →
On this day, Liberian President Edwin Barclay became the first Black leader to stay overnight at the White House, hosted by President Franklin D.... Continue →
In a landmark referendum, over 90% of white Australians voted in favor of two constitutional amendments—one of which allowed Aboriginal Australians... Continue →
On May 27, 1977, Louis Gossett Jr. received the Best Supporting Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in the acclaimed film Sadat.... Continue →
On May 27, 1986, South Africa’s anti-apartheid groups organized a National Day of Mourning to honor the victims of state violence and protest... Continue →
On May 27, 1961, Sierra Leone officially declared itself a republic, just over a month after gaining independence from British colonial rule. The... Continue →
African Liberation Day, though officially commemorated on May 25, is often observed on adjacent days like May 27 through marches, conferences, and... Continue →
On May 28, 1981, Amnesty International launched a major campaign protesting the death sentences of three anti-apartheid activists in South Africa.... Continue →
On May 28, 1948, African American diplomat Ralph Bunche began his role as chief mediator for the United Nations in the newly erupted Arab-Israeli... Continue →
On May 28, 1963, four young African American students—Annie Moody, Memphis Norman, Pearlena Lewis, and William Buttons—staged a sit-in at a... Continue →
On May 28, 1961, Amnesty International was founded by British lawyer Peter Benenson. Although not exclusively a Black history milestone, the... Continue →
On May 28, 1987, a landmark literary symposium was held in Accra, Ghana, honoring Chinua Achebe’s impact on postcolonial African literature.... Continue →
On May 28, 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as Nigeria’s first democratically elected president after decades of military rule. His... Continue →
On May 28, 2010, a group of post-apartheid South African youth launched “The Born-Free Collective,” a digital cultural platform dedicated to... Continue →
While Djibouti officially celebrates Independence Day on June 27, May 28, 1977, marked the decisive electoral referendum where over 98% of voters... Continue →
On May 28, 1956, thousands of Sudanese women took to the streets of Khartoum demanding full rights in the newly independent Sudan. Just months after... Continue →
On May 28, 1934, Ethiopian diplomats addressed the League of Nations warning of Italy’s growing militarization on its border—a plea ignored by... Continue →
On May 28, 1983, the Caribbean Artists Movement (CAM) held a special reunion event in London, bringing together figures like Kamau Brathwaite, Andrew... Continue →
On May 28, 2005, African scholars and leaders gathered in Bamako, Mali, for a major Pan-African conference honoring the legacy of Congolese... Continue →
On May 28, 1830, Alexandre Dumas fils, the son of celebrated novelist Alexandre Dumas père and a Black Haitian-descended mother, was born in Paris,... Continue →
On May 29, 1990, just months after his release from prison, Nelson Mandela delivered a stirring speech to the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa. This was... Continue →
On May 29, 2005, the African Union expanded its peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan, responding to escalating violence against civilians amid a... Continue →
On May 29, 1994, Nelson Mandela’s newly elected government officially swore in South Africa’s first multiracial cabinet, ending centuries of... Continue →
On May 29, 2009, Portia Simpson-Miller was re-elected as the president of Jamaica\'s People’s National Party (PNP), solidifying her position as the... Continue →
On May 29, 1973, a young Thomas Sankara joined the Upper Volta military (now Burkina Faso), beginning a journey that would transform him into one of... Continue →
On May 29, 1920, Hubert Thomas Delany—civil rights attorney, judge, and grandson of abolitionist Martin Delany—was born in Raleigh, North... Continue →
On May 29, 1970, Black World (formerly Negro Digest) released its special “Pan-African Issue,” featuring essays and poetry from across the... Continue →
On May 29, 1933, King Solomon kaDinuzulu of the Zulu nation passed away, leaving a contested legacy as a monarch under colonial rule. Born in 1891... Continue →
On May 29, 1987, West African students organized a major protest in Paris against the French government\'s restrictive immigration and education... Continue →
Jamaican poet, musician, and cultural critic Mutabaruka was born on May 29, 1948. Renowned for his fiery spoken word and Rastafarian philosophy,... Continue →
On May 29, 1979, the country of Rhodesia officially became Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, marking a symbolic transition from white-minority rule toward Black... Continue →
On May 30, 1967, Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the southeastern region of Nigeria an independent republic—Biafra. This bold move was in... Continue →
On May 30, 1980, Zimbabwe was officially admitted into the Commonwealth of Nations following its independence from white minority rule just weeks... Continue →
On May 30, 1965, Mobutu Sese Seko solidified control over the Congo by dissolving the government of President Joseph Kasavubu, leading to his formal... Continue →
On May 30, 1974, CARICOM was officially established as a successor to the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA), ushering in a new era of... Continue →
On May 30, 1956, women in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, organized one of the earliest mass demonstrations calling for full independence and gender... Continue →
On May 30, 1936, Black intellectuals in London held a memorial event honoring the 1900 Pan-African Conference organized by Henry Sylvester Williams.... Continue →
On May 30, 1958, Mutabaruka—Jamaican dub poet, activist, and Rastafarian philosopher—was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Renowned for his fusion of... Continue →
On May 30, 1981, South African apartheid authorities conducted a violent crackdown on youth affiliated with the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), a... Continue →
On May 30, 1963, Senegalese President and poet-philosopher Léopold Sédar Senghor formally proposed the creation of the first Pan-African Cultural... Continue →
On May 31, 1955, The Supreme Court ruled in what became known as "Brown II,” that the task of carrying out school desegregation was delegated to... Continue →
On May 31, 1979, Rhodesia was reconstituted as Zimbabwe-Rhodesia under the Internal Settlement agreement, marking the first time a Black prime... Continue →
On May 31, 1961, the Republic of South Africa officially left the British Commonwealth after facing mounting pressure over its apartheid policies.... Continue →
On May 31, 1963, the final dissolution of the West Indies Federation was confirmed, ending a short-lived political union of Caribbean territories... Continue →
Olaudah Equiano, a former enslaved African who became a prominent abolitionist and author, died in 1797, but on May 31, 1809, his memoir The... Continue →
The Treaty of Vereeniging, signed on May 31, 1902, ended the Second Boer War between the British Empire and Afrikaner republics in South Africa.... Continue →
On May 31, 1948, the National Party officially took control of the South African government, marking the beginning of apartheid—a brutal system of... Continue →
South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth after an absence of 33 years.
Sojourner Truth leaves New York and begins career as an antislavery activist.
The 5th National Negro Convention meets in Philadelphia and urged African Americans to abandon the use of terms "African" and "colored" when... Continue →
James A. Healy, first African American Roman Catholic Bishop, consecrated in the cathedral at Portland, Maine.
Kenneth Irvine Chenault is an American business executive. Chenault has been the CEO and Chairman of American Express since 2001and is the third... Continue →
Wesley A. Brown becomes first African American graduate of Annapolis Naval Academy.
Baltimore Orioles Manager Frank Robinson names Assistant General Manager on this date. Robinson was the third African American to become an... Continue →
Doris A. Davis, of Compton California, becomes the first African-American woman mayor of a metropolitan city in the United States.
Federal Court Rules that racial segregation on Montgomery City buses violated Constitution.
Mae C. Jemison, M. D. was chosen by NASA to begin training as a space shuttle astronaut on this date.
Respecting Negro demand, the New York Times announces that the "N" in the word "Negro" and "Negress" would be capitalized in its pages. The New York... Continue →
Legendary Pitcher Satchel Paige dies in Kansas City, Missouri. Satchel was an American Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball pitcher who... Continue →
Oliver W. Hill elected to Richmond, Virginia, City Council becoming the first African American to do so since Reconstruction.
Heavy Weight Boxer Jack Johnson dies on this date.
Oscar Award Winning Actress Hattie McDanial born on this date.
African Methodist Episcopal Church founder Richard Allen was born on this date. Allen was born a slave near Philadelphia.
On this day in 1854, James Augustine Healy, first Black American Roman Catholic bishop, ordained a priest in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.
Nelson Mandela was sentenced to Life imprisonment for allegedly attempting to sabotage the White South African government.
United States Congressman Charles Rangel born on this date
The National Black MBA Assciation is incorporated.
Medgar W. Evers , NAACP field secretary in Mississippi, assassinated in front of his Jackson home by a segregationist.
On this day in 1840, the World's Anti-Slavery Convention convenes in London, England.
Thurgood Marshall, United States Solicitor General, name to the Supreme Court by President Johnson. Marshall was confirmed by the Senate on August... Continue →
Congressman William Gray elected Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives, the highest ranking position ever held by a African American in... Continue →
Cheryl Adrienne Brown wins Miss Iowa pageant and becomes the first African American to compete in the Miss America beauty pageant.
Henry O. Flipper receives degree at West Point and becomes the first African American graduate.
Tiger Woods wins U. S. Open Gold Tournament.
United States Supreme Court rules that the suspension of Clayton Powel Jr. from the House of Representatives was unconstitutional.
ON this day in 1976, Hector Petersen, a 13 year old Soweto schoolboy is the first to die in what will become the "Children's Crusade", the first... Continue →
Tuskegee Boycott began. African American's boycotted city stores in protest against act of state legislature that deprived them of municipal votes... Continue →
Supreme Court banned racial discrimination in sale and rental of housing.
Slavery Abolished in United States territories in congress.
ON this date in 1953, Egypt becomes a republic after the forced abdication of King Farouk I.
Albert W. dent, president of Dillard University, elected president of National Health Council.
Muhammad Ali convicted in Houston, Texas in federal court for violating Selective Service Act by refusing induction into the armed services. Ali was... Continue →
National Congress of Racial Equality organized
United States Supreme Court (Guinn v United States) said "Grandfather Clause" in the Oklahoma and Maryland constitutions violated the 15th Amendment.
Marcus Garvey sentenced to five years in prison after his conviction on charges of using the mail to defraud.
Richard Nixon signed bill extending Voting Rights Act of 1965 to 1975.
Joe Louis defeated James J. Barddock for heavyweight boxing championship.
Ezzard Charles defeats Jersey Joe Walcott for the world heavy weight championship.
Wilma Glodean Rudolph, the first African American women to with three gold medals, was born on this dated in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Maynard Jackson, three term mayor of Atlanta, dies at the age of 65.
Mary Mcleod Bethune , founder-president of Bethune-Cookman College, named Director of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration. Mary was... Continue →
John R. Lynch, former congressman from Mississippi, elected temporary chairmen of Republican convention and becomes the first African American to... Continue →
On June 25, 1968, Lincoln Alexander was elected as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, making history as the first Black Canadian to serve in... Continue →
Isaiah Dorman dies at battle to Little Bighorn under the leadership of Colonel George Custer.
Prince Edward County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors abandoned school system to prevent integration.
James Weldon Johnson dies of injuries received in an automobile accident near his summer home in Wiscosset, Maine.
W. E. B. DuBois resigns from his position at the NAACP in a disagreement over policy and racial strategy.
Frederick Jones invents the ticket dispensing machine, patent #2163754.
United States Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall announces his retirement.
Freedman's Bank closed. African American depositors had some $3 million in the bank. The Freedman's Bank had an imposing headquarters in... Continue →
The NAACP annual report said the unemployment of "urban blacks in 1971 was worse than at anytime since the great depression of the thirties." The... Continue →
Louisiana legislature met in New Orleans. The temporary chairman of the house was African American Representative, R. H. Isabelle. Oscar J.... Continue →
Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. named First African American astronaut. Major Lawrence was killed during a training flight on December 8, 1967.
Actress -Singer Lena Horne was born in Brooklyn, New York.
On this date in 1960, Somalia officially gained independence and was formed as a sovereign nation. This date marks the unification of British... Continue →
On this date in 1863, the Kingdom of the Netherlands officially abolished slavery in its colonies, including Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean islands... Continue →
On this date in 1983, Calvin Smith of the United States became the fastest man alive, setting a new 100m world record with a time of 9.93 seconds... Continue →
On this date in 1999, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) celebrated Caribbean Integration with a focus on strengthening regional cooperation and... Continue →
On this date in 1964, Malawi officially proclaimed its independence from British colonial rule. The country, which was previously known as the... Continue →
On this date in 1805, Bill Richmond, the son of formerly enslaved parents, made history as the first African American to gain recognition as a... Continue →
On this date in 1927, Attorney William T. Francis was appointed U.S. Minister to Liberia by President Calvin Coolidge. This was a significant... Continue →
On this date in 1914, Marcus Garvey’s return to Jamaica marked the beginning of a transformative period for both him and the global Black... Continue →
On this date in 1918, Nelson Mandela was born, in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He would go on to become one of... Continue →
On July 19, 1925, the legendary entertainer Josephine Baker made her Paris debut at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in the revue La Revue Nègre.... Continue →
On July 22, 1848, Lester Walton was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia on July 22, 1848. His appointment came during the presidency of James... Continue →
The Pan-African Congress held its first major meeting in London on July 23, 1900. It was a significant event in the early history of the Pan-African... Continue →
July 26, 1847, marks the day Liberia declared its independence, becoming the first independent republic in Africa. The country had been founded by... Continue →
On July 26, 1847, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first native-born President of Liberia, declared the country an independent republic. Liberia, founded... Continue →
On July 26, 1847, freed African American slaves in Liberia declared their independence from the American Colonization Society and established... Continue →
The Amistad mutiny is a famous and significant event in American history. On July 30, 1839, a group of enslaved Africans aboard the Spanish slave... Continue →
on August 1, 1960, Dahomey (now known as Benin) officially gained its independence from France. This was part of a broader wave of independence... Continue →
On August 1, 1920, the National Convention of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was held in New York City. This event... Continue →
August 1, 1838, marks a significant moment in history—the official abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean. This day, known as Emancipation... Continue →
On August 1, 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect, officially ending slavery throughout the British Empire. This legislation was... Continue →
On August 3, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, African American soldier James Armistead Lafayette played a pivotal role in... Continue →
On August 5, 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested by the South African authorities. He had been on the run for over a year, during which he was actively... Continue →
On August 6, 1989, Congressman George Thomas "Mickey" Leland tragically died in a plane crash in Ethiopia. He was aboard a cargo plane that crashed... Continue →
Sir Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica's first prime minister, passed away on August 6, 1967. He was a key figure in Jamaica's struggle for independence... Continue →
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom. This day marked a significant turning point in the country's history, as... Continue →
Ralph J. Bunche was an influential diplomat, political scientist, and civil rights advocate. Born on August 7, 1904, in Detroit, Michigan, he played... Continue →
On August 8, 1936, Jesse Owens made history at the Berlin Olympics by winning four gold medals in track and field. This remarkable achievement... Continue →
On August 12, 1977, Stephen Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, was arrested at a police roadblock under the... Continue →
On August 15, 1824, the first group of freed American slaves, known as the "American Colonization Society" (ACS), established Liberia as a colony.... Continue →
On August 16, 1890, Alexander Clark was named the U.S. Minister to Liberia. This appointment marked a significant moment in history, as Clark became... Continue →
On August 17, 1984, Roberto Clemente became the second baseball player to be featured on a U.S. postage stamp. The stamp was part of the U.S. Postal... Continue →
Rafer Johnson, the American decathlete, was born on August 18, 1935, in Hillsboro, Texas. He is best known for his remarkable career in track and... Continue →
On August 18, 1964, South Africa was officially banned from the Olympic Games. This decision came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC)... Continue →
Roberto Clemente, one of baseball's most legendary players, was indeed born on August 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He became an iconic figure... Continue →
Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya, passed away on August 22, 1978, at the age of 83. He played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for... Continue →
The Haitian Revolution began on August 22, 1791, when enslaved people in the northern part of the colony of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti)... Continue →
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia passed away on August 27, 1975, under mysterious circumstances, though many regard his reign as one of significant... Continue →
The Second Pan-African Congress met in London from August 28 to September 1, 1921. It was an important event in the Pan-African movement, bringing... Continue →
On August 31, 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation, separating from British colonial rule. This marked a significant moment in the... Continue →
On September 3, 1970, representatives from 27 African nations gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the first Congress of African People (CAP).... Continue →
On September 3, 1891, John Stephens Durham was appointed as the minister to Haiti. He served as a U.S. diplomat during the presidency of Benjamin... Continue →
Leopold Sedar Senghor, a prominent poet and politician, was elected as the first President of Senegal on September 5, 1960. He played a key role in... Continue →
On this date in 1968, the Kingdom of Swaziland was founded.
On this day in 1957, Ghana becomes a free self-governing nation. This country will be the first of the British Commonwealth of Nations to be... Continue →
On this date in 1961, Jomo Kenyatta returns to Kenya from exile to lead his country.
on this date in 1930, Charles E. Mitchell, certified public accountant and banker from West Virginia, named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1913, George W. Buckner, a physician from Indiana, named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1974, Haile Selassie I is deposed from the Ethiopian throne.
On September 11, 1885, Moses A. Hopkins was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia by President Grover Cleveland. Hopkins was an African American... Continue →
On September 11, 1974, Haile Selassie I, the last Emperor of Ethiopia, was deposed after a military coup led by the Derg, a Marxist-Leninist... Continue →
Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space when she launched from the Kennedy Center to join Spacelab J, a joint U.S.-Japanese... Continue →
On this date in 1913, James Cleveland Owens, better known as Jesse Owens, winner of four gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, was born
On this date in 1980, Cosmonaut Arnold Tamayo, a Cuban, becomes the first black sent on a mission in space. Arnold Tamayo, along with Soviet... Continue →
On this dated in 1948, Ralph J. Bunche confirmed by United Nations Security Council as acting UN mediator in Palestine.
On this date in 1877, John Mercer Langston named minister of Haiti.
ON this date in 1986, the U.S. Senate overrides President Ronald Reagan's veto of legislation imposing economic sanctions in South Africa.
On this date in 1986, President Ronald Reagan appointed Edward J. Perkins ambassador to South Africa.
On this date in 1935, Ethiopia, one of the only two independent African nations at the time, was invaded by Facist Italy under Benito Mussolini. The... Continue →
ON this date in 1966, The Kingdom of Lesotho declared its independence
ON this date in 1931, Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu born.
ON this date in 1968, John Carlos and Tommie Smith staged Black Power demonstration on victory stand after winning 200-meter event at Olympics in... Continue →
On this date in 1865, Jamaican national hero, George William Gordon, is unfairly arrested and sentenced to death.
ON this date in 1940, in Tres Coracoes, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as Pelé, is born.
On this date in 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. American Blacks held mass meetings of protest and raised funds for the Ethiopian defenders.
On this date in 1921, Solomon Porter Hood named minister to Liberia.
On this dated in 1974, Muhammad Ali defeated George Foreman for heavyweight boxing title in Zaire.
On this date in 1995, South Africans voted in their first all-race local government elections, completing the destruction of the apartheid system.
On this dated in 1930, upon the death of the Ethiopian Empress Zawditu, Haile Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia.
On this date in 1889 Menelik II was crowned Negusa-Nagast (King of Kings) of Abysinnia, Ethiopia. By 1899 Abysinnia had extended as far as Kenya in... Continue →
On this date in 1874, James Theodore Holly, a Black American who emigrated to Haiti in 1861, elected bishop of Haiti. He was consecrated in a... Continue →
On this day, Mattiwilda Dobbs became the first African American to sing a romantic lead role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She starred... Continue →
Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian author, environmentalist, and human rights activist, was executed by the Nigerian military regime along with eight other... Continue →
After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, Angola declared its independence on November 11, 1975. The independence movement was led by liberation... Continue →
On this day, South Africa was suspended from participating in the United Nations General Assembly due to its apartheid policies, which... Continue →
On November 15, 1884, the Berlin Conference convened in Berlin, Germany, under the leadership of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Representatives... Continue →
Over 900 people, most of them African American, died in a mass murder-suicide at the People’s Temple Agricultural Project (commonly known as... Continue →
Dominique Dawes, three-time Olympian and trailblazing gymnast, is born in Silver Spring, Maryland. Nicknamed "Awesome Dawesome," she would go on to... Continue →
Randall Robinson (founder of TransAfrica), Walter Fauntroy (congressional delegate), and Mary Frances Berry (U.S. Civil Rights Commissioner) were... Continue →
On this day, Henry Watson Furniss, a respected African American physician from Indiana, was appointed U.S. Minister to Haiti, becoming one of the... Continue →
After a landmark legal battle in the United States, 35 survivors of the Amistad revolt departed from New York aboard the ship Gentleman to return to... Continue →
After a landmark legal battle in the United States, the formerly enslaved Africans who had taken control of the Spanish schooner La Amistad set sail... Continue →
On this date, the First Continental Congress enacted the Continental Association, a trade boycott against Great Britain in response to the Coercive... Continue →
Sarah Gorham, born on December 5, 1832, became the first woman appointed by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as a missionary to a foreign... Continue →
Grace Bumbry, a renowned American opera singer, was celebrated for her exceptional talent and significant contributions to the world of classical... Continue →
Sir Milton Margai was born on this day in Gbangbatoke, Sierra Leone. A trained medical doctor and respected statesman, Margai became the first Prime... Continue →
On this day, Tanganyika, a territory in East Africa, gained independence from British colonial rule. It became a sovereign nation with Julius Nyerere... Continue →
On this day, Kenya officially gained independence from British colonial rule, ending decades of struggle. Jomo Kenyatta, a key leader in the... Continue →
On December 13, 1957, Daniel Ahmling Chapman Nyaho presented his credentials as Ghana's first Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the... Continue →
Menelik II, the visionary emperor who modernized Ethiopia and defended its sovereignty, died on this day in 1913. His reign (1889–1913) was marked... Continue →
On December 15, 1943, the Spingarn Medal was presented to William H. Hastie in recognition of his distinguished career as a jurist and his unwavering... Continue →
On this day, the League of Nations officially granted South Africa a Class C mandate to administer South West Africa (present-day Namibia) following... Continue →
On this day, Queen Nzinga (also spelled Nzingha or Njinga), the legendary ruler of Ndongo and Matamba in present-day Angola, passed away. Known as... Continue →
Florence Griffith Joyner, legendary American track and field athlete, was born in Los Angeles, California. Known as "Flo-Jo," she became iconic for... Continue →
In Sydney, Australia, Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to win the world heavyweight championship, becoming the first Black man to hold the title.... Continue →
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