Italian forces occupy Addis Ababa

The UNIA’s convention in New York draws a large international gathering and stages a public assertion of Black political presence. Its Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World and...

The second congress begins a series of meetings in London, Brussels and Paris. It develops demands for African representation, labor protections and an end to colonial exploitation, while the format...

The third congress opens in London before continuing in Lisbon. Delegates address colonial rule and racial discrimination and press for political voice, labor rights and self-government. These...

The fourth congress meets in New York and includes delegates from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. It renews demands for self-government and equal rights while revealing tensions...

Italy invades Ethiopia, one of the few African states to retain formal independence. The invasion provokes protests and diaspora solidarity campaigns; it exposed the weakness of the League of...

Young African activists form the ANC Youth League to challenge the slow pace and cautious methods of the parent organization. Their program emphasized mass action and African leadership and helped...

As the UN founding conference begins, African and diaspora organizations circulate a manifesto demanding self-government and equal rights for colonized peoples. The episode shows how activists used...

The Manchester congress brings together activists, trade unionists and future political leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, Britain and the United States. It shifts emphasis toward mass struggle and...

Kwame Nkrumah and supporters found the CPP after breaking with more cautious nationalist leaders. It built a mass base among workers and young people and made immediate self-government a popular...

At its annual conference the ANC adopts a program calling for boycotts, strikes and civil disobedience. Influenced by the Youth League, the program helped move the organization toward mass...