About.com African History

This Day in African History -- Africa's Greatest Pop Idol Dies

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:06 +0000

On 24 November 1991 Freddie Mercury died of AIDS induced bracho-pneumonia. Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on the island of Zanzibar (then a British Protectorate) on 5 September 1946. Feddie's parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Indian Parsis, and they had moved to Zanzibar for Bomi's job as a cashier in the British Colonial Office.

The family fled Zanzibar in 1964 when the recently elected government was overthrown and Zanzibar (briefly) declared a republic. The family moved to Feltham, London, and Farrokh studied art at Isleworth Polytechnic, eventually gaining a diploma in Art and Graphic Design. By April 1970, Farrokh had changed his name to Freddie Mercury and joined with Brian May and Roger Taylor to form Queen.

This Day in African History -- Africa's Greatest Pop Idol Dies originally appeared on About.com African History on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 12:30:06.

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This Day in African History � Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Confirmed as Liberia's President

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:10:35 +0000

On 23 November 2005 Liberia's National Electoral Commission declared Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf winner of November's presidential election, having concluded its investigation into claims of alleged election fraud filed by her rival, the international soccer star George Weah. Johnson-Sirleaf received nearly 60 per cent of the votes.

• Find out why Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in known as Liberia's 'Iron Lady'.

This Day in African History � Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Confirmed as Liberia's President originally appeared on About.com African History on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 00:10:35.

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Apartheid Quotes - Bantu Education

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:10:12 +0000

It is well known that one of the fundamental differences between the experiences of Whites and Blacks in Apartheid era South Africa was education. Whilst the battle against education in Afrikaans was eventually won, the Apartheid government's 'Bantu' education policy meant that Black children did not receive the same opportunities as White children. Find out more about the opposing views in Apartheid South Africa from this selection of quotes about Bantu Education.

More on Bantu Education
• School Enrollment in Apartheid South Africa
• South African Students' Organisation
• June 16th Student Uprising

Apartheid Quotes - Bantu Education originally appeared on About.com African History on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 00:10:12.

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More than One Billion in Africa

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:06:11 +0000

According to the United Nations Population Fund continental Africa's population has passed the one billion level. Uganda and Nigeria are highlighted as regions of highest growth.

Passing this milestone means that Africa's population doubled in only 27 years. Thoraya Obeid, UNPF's Executive Director, talking to journalists at the BBC, suggested the reason for the massive increase is because "there is large number of women who have no access to planning their families".

The population boom has also led to children and young adults representing a much higher proportion of the population than in the developed nations, with associated economic and social problems.

For more see: Africa population tops a billion on the BBC Online.

More than One Billion in Africa originally appeared on About.com African History on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 09:06:11.

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Africa Past and Present -- Podcast 35 from MSU

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:29:28 +0000

Episode 35 of Africa Past and Present -- Michigan State University's podcast about African history,culture, and politics is now available.

Peter Alegi and Peter Limb present a report by Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott and Dr. Benedict Carton (George Mason University) on the recent 'African Identities in the Age of Obama' conference. Bridging the gap between African Studies, African-American Studies, and Caribbean Studies, the conference participants grappled with complex issues, including who and what does Obama represent? How do cultural aspects of the Obama phenomenon intersect with political and economic aspects? What does Obama mean to people in Africa?

Note: The sound quality improves after initial technical problems.

Africa Past and Present -- Podcast 35 from MSU originally appeared on About.com African History on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 05:29:28.

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A Few Words From Ngugi wa Thiong'o ...

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:42:00 +0000

"Christianity and Western civilization -- what countless crimes have been committed in thy name!"(James) Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Kenyan Novelist, from Barrel of a Pen: Resistance to Repression in Neocolonial Kenya, Africa Research & Publications, 1983.

"An oppressed class, or nation, that believes in itself, in its history, in its destiny, in its capacity to change the scheme of things, will obviously be the stronger in its class and national struggles for political and economic survival."(James) Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Kenyan Novelist, from Moving the Centre: The Struggle for Cultural Freedom, Heinemann, 1993.

A Few Words From Ngugi wa Thiong'o ... originally appeared on About.com African History on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 06:42:00.
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This Day in African History � Winston Churchill Captured

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:10:56 +0000

On 15 Novmber 1899 Republican forces in southern Natal ambushed a British armored train departing from Estcourt. The train was partially wrecked and in the ensuing fight four British soldiers were killed and 34 wounded. Winston Churchill, a war correspondent for The Morning Post was amongst 69 taken prisoner - he was captured trying to help the injured reach Estcourt. Churchill, although supposedly due non-combatant status as a war reporter was treated as a prisoner-of-war. (Just under a month later, on 12 December, Churchill managed to escape captivity by climbing over the wall of the State Model School in Pretoria whilst his compatriots distracted the guards - he walked to the nearest railway line and hid on a train.)

This Day in African History � Winston Churchill Captured originally appeared on About.com African History on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 00:10:56.

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This Day in African History -- Spain Abandons Western Sahara

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:10:58 +0000

On 14 November 1975 the Franco government signed the tripartite Madrid Agreement with Morocco and Mauritania for the proposed administration of the region. Earlier in the month, 6 November, Morocco's King Hassan had ordered 350,000 people to begin the Green March into Western Sahara with the intent of annexing the entire country. The capital, Laayoune, was captured shortly afterwards. Mauritania also made moves to take control of the region.

Claims by Morocco and Mauritania were rejected by The International Court of Justice, who found for the indigenous Saharawis' right to self-determination. The Madrid Agreement, however, resulted in a two-thirds to one-third partition between Morocco and Mauritania, which came into effect on 28 February 1976. (Mauritania renounced its claim in 1979 and Morocco seized the whole country.)

This Day in African History -- Spain Abandons Western Sahara originally appeared on About.com African History on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 00:10:58.

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This Day in African History -- British Forces Retake Tobruk

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:10:53 +0000

On 13 November 1942 Tobruk changed hands for the last time in World War II's North African campaign -- but Montgommery's quarry, Rommel, is nowhere to be found. The port, which was captured by Rommel's forces back in June, is just a smoking shell: the harbor more or less unusable and its installations mostly destroyed.

Meanwhile in Tunisia, following the start of Operation TORCH, fresh German troops under the command of General Walter Nehring are being landed. It is a start of a race between Anderson's First Army moving up through Algeria and the 5th Panzer Army which is arriving by ship and plane.

This Day in African History -- British Forces Retake Tobruk originally appeared on About.com African History on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 00:10:53.

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This Day in African History -- Dissident Writer Ken Saro-Wiwa Executed in Nigeria

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:10:34 +0000

Fourteen years ago, on 10 November 1995, writer and political activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Nigerian military government after being charged with the murder of four tribal leaders. His execution was widely condemned across the world and helped turn Nigeria into a 'pariah' state. Find out more...

This Day in African History -- Dissident Writer Ken Saro-Wiwa Executed in Nigeria originally appeared on About.com African History on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 00:10:34.

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