Nkrumah launches the Convention People’s Party

The colonial governor ordered the arrest of six leading United Gold Coast Convention figures after unrest following the veterans’ shootings. The detained leaders became known as the Big Six. Their...

The Supreme Court held that courts could not enforce racially restrictive housing covenants. J. D. and Ethel Shelley’s legal struggle challenged the use of state power to exclude Black families from...

President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981 establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the armed services regardless of race, colour, religion or national origin. Black veterans...

The General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It defined crimes against protected groups and obligations to prevent and punish them. Antiracist...

The UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris. Its principles gave campaigners language for challenging exclusion from political, social and economic rights. The...

The ANC adopted a Programme of Action calling for boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience and noncooperation. It linked national freedom to ending white domination and gaining political rights. The...

The Netherlands transferred sovereignty following years of Indonesian resistance and negotiations. The transfer recognized a political independence that Indonesians had proclaimed in 1945 and defended...

Kwame Nkrumah announced Positive Action in Accra, calling for strikes, boycotts and noncooperation to press for self-government. Collective withdrawal of labour and cooperation challenged the...

India’s Constitution came into force, establishing a republic and prohibiting untouchability. B. R. Ambedkar’s role in constitution-making connected institutional change to the struggle of communities...

The ANC called a day of mourning and a general strike against repression and the Suppression of Communism Act. Workers’ absence and public protest connected political rights to collective...