Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio

Poster Courtesy of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. African Freedom Day was founded during the first Conference of Independent African States in Ghana on April 15, 1958. The purpose of the day was to annually mark the liberation movement’s progress and to symbolize the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation. Between 1958 and 1963, 17 countries in Africa won their independence and 1960 was proclaimed the Year of Africa. 

 May 25, 1963, 31 African leaders convened a summit meeting to find the Organization of African Unity (OAU). They renamed Africa Freedom Day as “African Liberation Day" and changed its date to May 25. The founding date of the OAU is also referred to as “Africa Day”. African Liberation Day has helped to raise political awareness in African communities across the world.  It has also been a source of information about the struggles for liberation and development.

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