(O.A.U.

SUMMIT MAY 25th 1963 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA)

On April 15, 1958, in the city of Accra Ghana, African leaders and political activists gathered at the first Conference of Independent African States. It was attended y representatives of the govern!ents of "thiopia, Ghana, #i eria, #i ya, $orocco, S%dan, &%nisia, &he 'nited Ara (ep% lic )which was the federation of "gypt and Syria* and representatives of the +ational #i eration ,ront of Algeria and the 'nion of Ca!eroonian -eoples. &his conference was significant in that it represented the first -an.African Conference held on African soil. It was also significant in that it represented the collective e/pression of African -eople0s disg%st with the syste! of colonialis! and i!perialis!, which ro%ght so !%ch s%ffering to African -eople. ,%rther, it represented the collective will to see the syste! of colonialis! per!anently done away with.

After 511 years of the !ost r%tal s%ffering 2nown to h%!anity, the rape of Africa and the s% se3%ent slave trade, which cost Africa in e/cess of 111,111,111 of her children, the !asses of African -eople sing%larly, separately, individ%ally, in s!all disconnected gro%pings for cent%ries had said, 4eno%gh56 7%t in 1958, at the Accra Conference, it was eing said in ways that e!phasi8ed 9oint, coordinated and %nified action. &his conference gave sharp clarity and definition to the -an.African $ove!ent, the total li eration and %nification of Africa %nder collective sec%rity. &he conference as well laid the fo%ndation and the strategy for the f%rther intensification and coordination of the ne/t stage of the African (ede!ption, for the li eration of the rest of Africa, and event%al and co!plete %nification. &he Conference called for the fo%nding of African ,reedo! :ay, a day to, 4!ar2 each year the onward progress of the li eration !ove!ent, and to sy! oli8e the deter!ination of the -eople of Africa to free the!selves fro! foreign do!ination and e/ploitation.5 ,ive years later after the ,irst Conference of Independent African States in the city of Addis A a a, "thiopia another historical !eeting occ%rred. On $ay ;5, 19<=, leaders of thirty.two independent African States !et to for! the Organi8ation of African 'nity )OA'* the rain child of >.I.$. "!peror >aile Selassie I. 7y then !ore than two thirds of the continent had achieved independence fro! colonial r%le. At this historic !eeting the date of Africa ,reedo! :ay was changed fro! April 15th to $ay ;5th and Africa ,reedo! :ay was declared African #i eration :ay )A#:*. African #i eration :ay has een held on $ay ;5th in every corner of the world since. African #i eration :ay has contri %ted to the str%ggle to raise the level of political awareness and organi8ation in African co!!%nities worldwide. It has f%rther een %sed as a tool to provide a platfor! for !any African and other oppressed peoples to infor! the African !asses a o%t their respective str%ggles for tr%e li eration and develop!ent. -artic%larly for So%thern Africa, African #i eration :ay played a critical role in the defeat of colonialis! and apartheid. It inspired others to s%pport thro%gh vario%s progressive organi8ations, li eration co!!ittees and !ove!ents oth in Africa and the socialist co%ntries aro%nd the world, the %ilding of anti. colonial and national li eration !ove!ents y generating ar!s for the

freedo! fighters, offering a platfor! where the world co%ld receive political ed%cation on the nat%re of the str%ggle, and providing a !ass asse! ly where the spirit and !oral of the freedo! fighters co%ld e reinvigorated. African #i eration :ay has helped to e/pose '.S. led i!perialis!, ?ionis! and colonialis! as ene!ies of Africa. I!perialists for decades have atte!pted to distance African #i eration :ay )and the African (evol%tion in general* fro! the str%ggle for socialis!. (e!e! er that it was, and is, capitalist "%rope, and not the Soviet 'nion, C% a, +orth @orea, China or Aietna! which occ%pied, coloni8ed and e/ploited Africa. Several states in Africa today stand independent eca%se of !ilitary and other assistance fro! socialist co%ntries. ,ro! the first A#: held in Accra, Ghana where Osagyefo @wa!e +2r%!ah planted the first seed to the h%ndreds of African #i eration :ay o servances which have occ%rred all over the world. African #i eration :ay stands co!!itted to the str%ggle for national independence, African rede!ption, African li eration, African %nification and scientific socialis!. &oday African #i eration :ay activities are eing organi8ed thro%gho%t Africa and all over the world where African people are living and str%ggling. &he 9o%rney down the (ede!ption path can only e acco!plished y 9oining a African :iaspora organi8ation )i.e.B. ".A.7.I.C.* wor2ing for the people. &he freedo! of Africa and African people de!ands revol%tionary action thro%gh international organi8ation.

(FOUNDING FARTHERS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRI AN UNITY) (O.A.U. ! A.U))

His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I STATEMENT ON ARFICA DAY 1963 "It has been five years since every year this day of April 15, was decreed to be celebrated as Africa's Independence Day. This day is celebrated throughout Africa. It re inds !s of the struggles for independence during the last twelve onths and of our African brothers that are still engaged in the fight for freedo . C,or several years in the past, as !%st e re!e! ered, a large part of the African continent was %nder colonial r%le. In the co%rse of that ti!e, colonialists have stripped the Africans of their freedo! and nat%ral rights, and %sed their reso%rces for the enefit and prosperity of their own co%ntry. "ven today, colonial !asters spea2 ill of Africans y e/aggerating their poverty in the press. Africans are also la!ed for the aid they receive. &his aid cannot fill the needs of their peoples overnight. ,ro! %nder s%ch h%!iliation, Africans rose %p to safeg%ard their right and started to str%ggle to o tain their independence. &his str%ggle egan to ear fr%it after Dorld Dar II. C&he first African Independent States Conference was held in Africa in 1958. &he independent states at that ti!e were only eight. +evertheless, the freedo! fight in Africa contin%ed with !ore vigo%r and fervo%r and today the n%! er of independent states has reached =;. &his is fo%r ti!es the si8e of those independent co%ntries which participated in the Accra Conference. #ast year alone (wanda, 7%r%ndi, 'ganda, and Algeria achieved their independence and eca!e !e! ers of the Independent African states. Altho%gh it had een d%ly e/tended at the appropriate ti!e, we will again vent%re to e/press o%r congrat%lations to these friendly co%ntries. CIn o%r neigh o%r co%ntry, @enya, a new political trend is ta2ing shape and elections are e/pected to e held soon. It is o%r earnest wish that @enya achieves independence i!!ediately after the concl%sion of a s%ccessf%l election. &hat @enya o tains her independence witho%t the dis!e! er!ent of her regions is the policy that "thiopia strongly s%pports. "thiopia opposes all those who try to dis!e! er @enya %nder the clai! of tri alis!. CCongo has een in t%r!oil after independence. It has een gratifying to 's to see @atanga reintegrated last year into the central govern!ent to for! a %nited Congo (ep% lic. De are especially pleased, eca%se "thiopia has sent her troops to Congo in the na!e of the 'nited +ations and !ade s% stantial contri %tion to the %nity of that co%ntry. CIn Central Africa too, political !ove!ent is 3%ite enco%raging. 'nder the e!inent leadership of :r. @a!%8a 7anda, +yasaland achieved local

govern!ent %nder its nationals and the day of her independence is an/io%sly eing awaited in the very near f%t%re. It has also een !ade clear in a recent #ondon Conference that +orthern (hodesia has sec%red its right of secession fro! the colonialist.r%n ,ederation, and it is fast !arching towards independence.

C$eanwhile, the fate of Africans in So%thern (hodesia is in a precario%s sit%ation. $any Africans and their leaders are fo%nd ar itrarily i!prisoned and conse3%ently, the co%ntry is in chaos, De will not hesitate to re!ind the 7ritish Govern!ent to !a2e %se of its responsi ility to hand over a%thority to the African !a9ority so that So%thern (hodesia will also e independent. 'ntil now the 7ritish Govern!ent has shown wisdo! and so%nd 9%dg!ent in providing independence for Africans, in a !anner constr%ctive and o 9ective. C&he So%th African racial govern!ent apartheid policy has deteriorated instead of effecting leniency and i!prove!ent. A large n%! er of Africans, fighting for their freedo!, are fro! day.to.day ha%led into 9ails witho%t d%e process of law, and are !ade to s%ffer %nder severe conditions. :efying world opinion, rea2ing international laws and disrespecting the 'nited +ations Charter, the So%th African govern!ent contin%es practicing its atrocio%s and odio%s policy. +evertheless, "thiopia will not deny assistance to o%r rother Africans who live in that %nfort%nate co%ntry. CDe shall not pass witho%t e/pressing o%r regret to the -ort%g%ese Govern!ent, that the fate of Africans in its colonies has not een %p to now i!proved so as to have prepared the! for independence. Dhat De wo%ld

again re!ind the -ort%g%ese Govern!ent, is to prepare Africans in its colonial territories for self.govern!ent in order to c%rtail heavy lood.shed. "thiopia will not refrain fro! endeavo%ring to assist in finding sol%tions y which Africans %nder -ort%g%ese colonies will o tain independence. CIn general, De e/tend o%r good will greetings to all o%r African rethren who are still %nder the yo2e of foreign r%le, and wish that their str%ggle for freedo! will ear fr%it so that they wo%ld e !asters of their own fate. O%r help will also reach the!. C,inally, De wo%ld li2e to spea2 a o%t the $ay Conference of African >eads of State to e held here in Addis A a a. All the =; heads of state in the entire continent have accepted o%r invitation and e/pressed their willingness to participate in the Conference. De are specially pleased y the response and cooperation shown y o%r neigh o%r sister, So!alia, for her reconsideration to ta2e part in the conference following o%r reco!!endation and advice. C&he p%rpose of this conference is to strengthen African %nity. Since "thiopiaEs hospitality is historically 2nown, it is the vol%ntary d%ty of every individ%al "thiopian to e/tend the %s%al co%rtesies to o%r disting%ished g%ests who will co!e for the conference. De entr%st, therefore, to yo% all that each one of yo% e/tend the est reception to o%r hono%ra le g%ests. C#et Al!ighty God help %s in the f%lfill!ent of o%r wishes.C

N"#th A$#%&'( ) I(*+,+(*+(&+

Algeria
Independence from France: 1962
,rench con3%est of Algeria egan in 18=1 and y the end of the cent%ry ,rench settlers had ta2en !ost of the est land. Dar was declared against the colonial ad!inistration y the +ational #i eration ,ront in 195F. In 19<; a cease.fire was agreed etween the two gro%ps and independence declared. $%ha!!ed in 1GGG.* ,rance incorporated $orocco into its &rans.Saharan e!pire in the 1891Es after a long str%ggle to re!ain independent. It finally achieved independence fro! ,rance in 195<.

T$%isia

Independence from France: 1956

>o!e of the ?enata 7er ers for !any cent%ries, &%nisia is lin2ed to all the +orth AfricanH $editerranean e!piresB -hoenician, (o!an, 7y8antine, Ara , Otto!an and finally the ,rench. &%nisia eca!e a ,rench protectorate in 188=. It was invaded y the A/is d%ring the Second Dorld Dar, %t was ret%rned to ,rench r%le when the A/is was defeated. Independence was achieved in 195<.

Egypt
Independence from Britain: 1936
Dith the arrival of Ale/ander the Great, "gypt egan an e/tended period of foreign do!inationB -tole!aic Gree2s )==1.=; 7C"*, (o!ans )=; 7C".=95 C"*, 7y8antines )=95.<F1*, Ara s )<F;.1;51*, $a!el%2es )1;<1.15G1*, Otto!an &%r2s )151G.1G98*, ,rench )1G89. 1811*. &here followed a rief interl%de %ntil the 7ritish arrived )188;.19;;*. Independence was achieved in 19=<. In 195; #ie%tenant.Colonel +asser sei8ed power. A year later General +eg%i was proclai!ed president of the (ep% lic of "gypt, only to e deposed y +asser in 195F.

West African Independence

&e%i%
Independence from France: 1960
In 1<;5 indigeno%s slave traders, 2nown as the ,on, fo%nded the 2ingdo! of :aho!ey. &hey s% se3%ently con3%ered the neigh oring 2ingdo!s of :an and Allada and e/tended their 2ingdo! to the coast near -orto +ovo. A trading post was set %p in 185G y the ,rench at Grand. -opo. &he :aho!ey @ing, 7ehan8in, was defeated y the ,rench when conflict ro2e o%t following disp%te y the ,rench against contin%ed :aho!ey slavery. In 189; :aho!ey eca!e a ,rench protectorate and was a sor ed into ,rench Dest Africa in 191F. Independence fro! the ,rench was gained in 19<1 and the co%ntry was rena!ed 7enin in 19G5.

i!ya
Independence from Italy: 1951
&his region was once a (o!an province, and had een coloni8ed along the coast y the Aandals in ancient ti!es. It was also invaded y the 7y8antines and then a sor ed into the Otto!an "!pire. In 1911 the &%r2s were e/pelled when the co%ntry was anne/ed y Italy. An independent !onarchy, %nder @ing Idris, was created in 1951, with help fro! the '+, %t the !onarchy was a olished when Gaddafi too2 power in 19<9.

M"r"##"
Independence from France: 1956
&he region was con3%ered y the Al!oravids in the second half of the eleventh cent%ry and a capital fo%nded at $arra2ech. &hey event%ally had an e!pire which incl%ded Algeria, Ghana and !%ch of Spain. In the second part of the twelfth cent%ry the region was con3%ered in t%rn y the Al!ohads, also 7er er $%sli!s, who too2 over the e!pire, and e/tended it to the west as far as &ripoli. ,ro! the fifteenth cent%ry, -ort%g%ese and Spanish atte!pted to invade coastal areas, ta2ing several ports, incl%ding Ce%ta .. they !et strong resistance. In the si/teenth cent%ry, Ah!ad Al.$ans%r, overthrew the Songhai "!pire to the so%th and retoo2 coastal areas fro! the Spanish. &he region eca!e a !a9or destination for trans.Saharan slave trade despite internal conflict over whether free !en co%ld e !ade slaves %nder Isla!ic law. )Slavery of Christians was Ca olishedC y Sidi

&$r'i%a
Independence from France: 1960 ,ro! the 1<th to the early 19th cent%ry this was the 2ingdo! of O%agado%go%, one of the $ossi "!pire. In the early 19th cent%ry the $ossi "!pire ro2e down and was s% 9ect to al!ost %ninterr%pted war for 51 years prior to the arrival of the ,rench. At the end of the 19th cent%ry the great :io%la warlord, Sa!ori &%re, was e/pelled y the ,rench and it eca!e part of ,rench Dest Africa. Independence fro! the ,rench was achieved in 19<1 and the co%ntry was na!ed 'pper Aolta and was rena!ed 7%r2ina in 198F.

Cape (er)e

Independence from Portugal: 1975 &he archipelago of Cape Aerde eca!e a -ort%g%ese colony in 1F<;. A 9oint str%ggle for the li eration of Cape Aerde and the !ainland colony of -ort%g%ese G%inea )now G%inea.7issa%*

egan. Independence was achieved in 19G5 with proposed %nion to the new state of G%inea. 7issa%. In 1981 Cape Aerde finally split away to for! an independent rep% lic.

the area fro! the fifteenth cent%ry. $a%ritania eca!e a ,rench colony in 181F. Independence was achieved in 19<1.

*am!ia

Niger

Independence from Britain: 1965 &he region ca!e %nder the infl%ence of Isla! in the 1=th cent%ry. :%ring the 18th and 19th cent%ry, the region attracted the attention of oth the ,rench and the 7ritish. It finally eca!e a 7ritish colony in 1888. Independence was achieved in 19<5.

Independence from France: 1960 -art of the once powerf%l Isla!ic So2oto "!pire it was anne/ed y ,rance at the end of the nineteenth cent%ry. It was created an a%tono!o%s rep% lic within a greater ,rench co!!%nity in 1958, and independence followed in 19<1.

*+a%a
Independence from Britain: 1957 &he two year war etween the 7ritish and the Ashanti was ro%ght to an end in 18GF when the defeated @ing, Asantehene, signed a treaty with the 7ritish. &he Gold Coast colony was created. Independence was achieved in 195G.

Nigeria
Independence from Britain: 1960 Originally a collection of African states whose wealth ca!e fro! trans.Saharan )and trans. Atlantic* trade. It eca!e a 7ritish colony in 18<1 and was handed over to the (oyal +iger Co!pany )(+C*. &he (+CEs charter was revo2ed in 1898 and the area was divided into two 7ritish -rotectorates. &hese were !erged in 191F to for! the colony of +igeria. A federal syste! of govern!ent was created in 195F and independence achieved in 19<1.

*$i%ea

Independence from France: 1959 :espite opposition y the resident $%sli! e!pire, ,rance !ade G%inea a colony in 1891 .. part of the trade.off etween ,rance and 7ritain over African territories. Independence was achieved in 1959. )A -ort%g%ese ac2ed co%p failed in 19G1.*

Se%egal

I,"ry C"ast
Independence from France: 1960 Originally one of the great trading e!pires of Dest Africa, the region was !ade the ,rench colony of CIte dEIvoire in 189=. &he $alin2e "!pire of the interior resisted the ,rench %ntil 1918. &owards the end of the 19F1Es ,rench r%le eca!e e/cessively oppressive. In 1958 it eca!e a ,rench (ep% lic and in 19<1 it achieved independence. Ne er a colonial territory &he residence of over ;;,111 slaves li erated )hence the na!e* fro! the 'SA d%ring the 19th cent%ry, #i eria was esta lished as an independent rep% lic in 18FG.

i!eria

Mali
Independence from France: 1960 Once the ho!e of a !a9or trans.Saharan e!pire ased on the trade of salt and gold, this area was coloni8ed y the ,rench in the 1881Es. Independence was achieved in 19<1.

Independence from France: 1960 &he region of Senega! ia )for!ed y the co! ined asins of the Senegal and Ga! ia rivers* was a dependency of the states of the S%dan )the historical state not the !odern rep% lic* and Sahara. &he arrival of -ort%g%ese traders diverted the traditional trade co!!odities of gold, ivory, and slaves to the coast rather than inland .. which contri %ted to the collapse of e/isting 2ingdo!s. "%ropean infl%ence res%lted in a proliferation of ceddo or warlord regi!es, which were ro%ght to a pea2 when the local Isla!ic gro%ps too2 %p ar!s in the Marabout War. Senegal was coloni8ed y the ,rench in 1891, with the Ga! ia split off as a 7ritish enclave. Independence was achieved in 19<1 %nder the socialist president #eopold Senghor )he declared one.party state in 19<<, which lasted for another 11 years efore a ret%rn to partial !%lti.partyis!*.

Sierra e"%e
Independence from Britain: 1961 ,irst coloni8ed in 1G8G when the 7ritish fo%nded ,reetown )now the capital* as a settle!ent for Africans freed fro! slavery. &he coastal region eca!e a 7ritish colony in 1818, with the interior anne/ed in 189<. Independence was achieved in 19<1.

Ma$rita%ia

Independence from France: 1960 At the end of the first !illenni%! this region was the western e/tre!e of the trade ro%tes across the Sahara and was pop%lated y the Adrar, fa!o%s for their date plantations. 7y the ti!e the e!pire of $ali was prospering, the coastal regions were ho!e to no!adic 7er er and event%ally eca!e part of the Isla!ic Al!oravid state. -ort%g%ese e/plorers visited and doc%!ented the area %t decided to travel on. -ort%g%ese raiders however o tained slaves fro!

T"g"

Independence from France: 1960 After initially eing coloni8ed y Ger!any in 189F, the larger region of &ogoland was divided etween the ,rench and 7ritish in 191F. At independence, the eastern half of ,rench &ogoland eca!e &ogo while western 7ritish &ogoland eca!e part of Ghana.

Central African Independence

Camer""%
Independence from France and Britain: 1960!61 &he region was inha ited y north.western 7ant% societies and was typified y the :io%la who had esta lished the!selves as a centrali8ed state in the 18th cent%ry. It was %nder the no!inal infl%ence of the 7ritish %ntil it was anne/ed y Ger!any in 188F. In 1919, following the ,irst Dorld Dar, Ca!eroon was divided etween the ,rench and the 7ritish. In 1955 the ,rench 2illed 11,111 locals d%ring a revolt, and the contin%ed dist%r ances res%lted in the ,rench sector declaring independence in 19<1. &he 7ritish so%thern sector 9oined Ca!eroon in 19<1 whilst the northern sector voted to 9oin +igeria.

!%ltiparty r%le, the co%ntry was rena!ed the :e!ocratic (ep% lic of the Congo )or :(C*.

E.$at"rial *$i%ea

Independence from "pain: 196# A colony of Spain for 191 years, the co%ntry achieved independence in 19<8.

*a!"%
Independence from France: 1960 Anne/ed as part of ,rench "3%atorial Africa in 188<, Ga on finally achieved independence in 19<1.

Sa" T"me / 0ri%#ipe

Independence form Portugal: 1975 &he islands were clai!ed to e %ninha ited when -ort%g%ese colonists arrived. &he very fertile soil was %sed for cocoa plantations. In 19G; a li eration !ove!ent was recogni8ed y the '+, and independence was reached in 19G5.

Ce%tral A-ri#a% Rep$!li#

Independence from France: 1960 As part of ,rench "3%atorial Africa the colony of ' angi.Shari was esta lished in 1915. It gained a%tono!y as the Central African (ep% lic in 1958, and f%ll independence in 19<1.

East African Independence

&$r$%)i
Independence in 1962 ,ro! the 1<th cent%ry 7%r%ndi was r%led y the !inority &%tsi with the !a9ority >%t% as their serfs. It was !erged with (wanda and controlled y Ger!any fro! 188F and then transferred to 7elgi%! in 1919. In 19F< it eca!e a '+ tr%st territory, split fro! (wanda in 1959 and gained f%ll independence in 19<;.

C+a)

Independence from France: 1960 Chad ca!e %nder Ara do!ination d%ring the e/pansion of Isla! thro%gh the +orthern Africa. ,rench colonial interests res%lted in the deposition of the last Ara r%ler in 1911. Independence fro! ,rance was achieved in 19<1.

C"%g"
Independence from France: 1960 &he region was first inha ited y 7ant% spea2ing peoples in the 15th cent%ry. Dhen the ,rench anne/ed the area in the 1881Es, the two 2ingdo!s of &e2e and #oango were incorporated into the $iddle Congo which for!ed part of ,rench "3%atorial Africa. Independence was achieved in 19<1.

Dji!"$ti

Independence from Frenc$: 1977 Dhat was once the Isla!ic State of Adal was !ade the capital of ,rench So!aliland in 189<. In 19F< the ,rench gave it Overseas &erritorial stat%s and in 19<G it was rena!ed the ,rench &erritory of the Afars and Issas. Independence was achieved in 19GG.

Eritrea
Independence from %t$iopia: 1991!93 Italian r%le was replaced y 7ritish following the Second Dorld Dar in 19FF. In 195; it was incorporated into "thiopia. An ar!ed str%ggle started in the <1Es and after =1 years of war, independence was achieved in 1991.

Dem"#rati# Rep$!li# "- t+e C"%g"

Independence form Belgium: 1960 Once the ho!e of the powerf%l @ongo 2ingdo!, 7elgi%!Es @ing #eopold II clai!ed !ost of the Congo asin fro! 18G<. (ather than a 7elgi%! colony, it eca!e @ing #eopoldEs private reso%rce %nder the na!e Congo ,ree State. )&his is considered to e the !ost r%tal and shoc2ing of all "%ropean colonial e/peri!ents.* After international o%tcry, 7elgi%! officially too2 over in 1918 and rena!ed it the 7elgian Congo. Independence was achieved in 19<1 thro%gh the help of -atrice #%!%! a and the co%ntry was rena!ed Congo.@inshasa. In 19<5 General $o %to etrayed #%!%! a and sei8ed power, he for!ed a one.party state )-op%lar (evol%tionary $ove!ent )$-(* and was elected -resident. In 19G1 the co%ntry was rena!ed ?aire. In 199G, after an atte!pt to introd%ce

Et+i"pia

"o ereignty &eign'(( 7rief Italian occ%pation 19=<.19F1. Jet the Con3%ering #ion -revails6

1e%ya
Independence from Britain: 1963 &he coastal areas were coloni8ed y Ara coastal traders fro! the 11th cent%ry. &he 7ritish created the 7ritish "ast African -rotectorate along the coast in 1895 in order to gain access to 'ganda. &he interior eca!e a 7ritish colony in 19;1. ,ro! 195;.5< the $a% $a% waged a violent ca!paign against the 7ritish res%lting in a State of "!ergency. &his was dropped in 19<1

and f%ll independence achieved in 19<=.

R2a%)a

Independence from )ermany!Belgium: 1962 &he region was first coloni8ed y the >%t% in the fo%rteenth cent%ry and arrival of the &%tsi in the fifteenth cent%ry res%lted in a &%tsi lordH>%t% serf society. &his &%tsi do!ination was reinforced y Ger!anH7elgian coloni8ation fro! 1891. Independence o tained in 19<;

7ritish in 1885 with the %rging of Cecil (hodes, to protect it fro! inc%rsions y the 7oers and the Ger!ans. Independence fro! the 7ritish was achieved in 19<<.

C"m"r"s

S"malia
Independence from Italy and Britain: 1960 So!aliland eca!e 7ritishHItalian colonies in the 1881EsK it was r%led solely y the 7ritish fro! 19F1 to 1951. In 19<1, Italian So!aliland and 7ritish So!aliland were %nited to for! an independent So!alia.

Independence from France: 1975 *e+cept for t$e i'land of ,ayotte'nder Ara control %ntil it eca!e a ,rench -rotectorate in 1881. -roclai!ed as a ,rench colony in 191;. Achieved self.govern!ent in 19<1 and independence in 19G5.

es"t+"
Independence from Britain: 1966 After defeat y the 7oers in 18F=, @ing $oshoeshoe I loo2ed to the 7ritish for aid. In 188F a 7ritish Crown colony was for!ed. Independence was achieved in 19<<.

S$)a%

Independence from Britain and %gypt: 1956 +orthern S%dan was ta2en y "gypt in 18;1 and So%thern S%dan y the 7ritish in 18GG. In 188= a revolt was started y the $%sli! leader $%ha!!ad Ah!ed. Conflict contin%ed for fifteen years %ntil the $ahdists were defeated in 1898. An Anglo."gyptian condo!ini%! was created. Since independence fro! 7ritishH"gyptian r%le in 195< the co%ntry has e/perienced little relief fro! civil war etween the Ara , Isla!ic north and African so%th.

Ma)agas#ar

Independence from France: 1960 After increasing contact with "%ropeans fro! the 15th cent%ry, $adagascar eca!e a ,rench colony in 1895. ,ollowing the Second Dorld Dar there was increasing tension in the co%ntry, with civil %prisings res%lting in ,rench troops 2illing tho%sands. Independence was achieved in 19<1.

Mala2i
Independence from Britain: 196. #ivingstoneEs for!er Ch%nting gro%ndC was %nder threat fro! the -ort%g%ese and Ara slavers in the late 1881Es when the resident Scottish !issionaries and the African #a2es Co!pany called on (hodes for s%pport. &he region eca!e the 7ritish colony of +yasaland after aggressive diplo!atic conflict with Ger!any in 1891. In 19<F, as part of the progra! to dil%te the power of white racists in (hodesia, 7ritain released the colony and it eca!e $alawi.

Ta%3a%ia
Independence from )ermany!Britain: 1961!1963 &he !ainland of &an8ania eca!e a Ger!an colony called &anganyi2a in 188F whilst the S%ltanate of ?an8i ar eca!e a 7ritish -rotectorate in 1891. &anganyi2a eca!e a 7ritish !andated territory in 1918 and achieved independence in 19<1. In 19<= ?an8i ar achieved independence, and a year later for!ed a %nion with &anganyi2a %nder the new na!e of &an8ania.

M"3am!i.$e

4ga%)a

Independence from Britain: 1962 Aario%s ancient 2ingdo!s were co! ined to for! a 7ritish protectorate in 189=. Independence was achieved in 19<;.

South African Independence

A%g"la
Independence from Portugal: 1975 ,orts were esta lished y the -ort%g%ese along the Angolan coast in 1F8;. &he $ar/ist $-#A, fo%nded in 195<, egan its g%errilla. ased li eration str%ggle in 19<1. Independence fro! -ort%gal was achieved in 19G5.

Independence from Portugal: 1976 ,ro! the si/teenth cent%ry the -ort%g%ese traded along the coast for gold, ivory, and slaves. $o8a! i3%e was !ade a -ort%g%ese colony in 1G5;, with large tracts of land r%n y private co!panies. A war for li eration was started y ,("#I$O in 19<F which %lti!ately led to independence in 19G5. &he civil war, however, contin%ed into the 1991Es.

Nami!ia
Independence from "out$ /frica: 1990 &he Ger!an !andated territory of So%th Dest Africa was given to So%th Africa in 1915 y the #eag%e of +ations. In 1951 So%th Africa ref%sed a '+ re3%est to give %p the territory. It was rena!ed +a!i ia in 19<8 )altho%gh So%th Africa contin%ed to call it So%th Dest Africa*. In 1991 +a!i ia eca!e the forty.seventh African colony to gain independence. Dalvis 7ay was given %p in 199=.

&"ts2a%a

Independence from Britain: 1966 ,ro! aro%nd 1<11 the indigeno%s San peoples were displaced y the !igrating &swana. &he 7ech%analand -rotectorate was set %p y the

S"$t+ A-ri#a

Independence from Britain: 193.

Independence from 0$ite minority rule: 199. In 1<5; :%tch settlers arrived at the Cape and set %p a refresh!ent post for the 9o%rney to the :%tch "ast Indies. &he :%tch started to !ove inland and coloni8e the 7ant% spea2ing gro%ps and 7%sh!en. &he arrival of the 7ritish in the eighteenth cent%ry accelerated the process. &he Cape colony was ceded to the 7ritish in 181F. In 181<, Sha2a 2aSen8anga2hona eca!e ?%l% r%ler, to e assassinated y :ingane in 18;8. &he Great &re2 of the 7oers !oving away fro! the 7ritish in the Cape started in 18=< .. leading to the fo%nding of the (ep% lic of +atal in 18=8 and the Orange ,ree State in 185F. 7ritain too2 +atal fro! the 7oers in 18F=. &he &ransvaal was recogni8ed as an independent state y the 7ritish in 185; and the Cape Colony was granted self.govern!ent in 18G;. A ?%l% Dar and two Anglo.7oer wars followed, and the co%ntry was %nified %nder 7ritish do!inion in 1911. Independence for white !inority r%le ca!e in 19=F. In 1958 :r. >endri2 Aerwoerd, the -ri!e $inister, introd%ced the 4Grand Apartheid5 policy. &he African +ational Congress, for!ed in 191;, finally ca!e into power in 199F when the first !%ltiracial, !%ltiparty elections were held.

Independence and declared a state of e!ergency )which was renewed every year %ntil 1991*. +egotiations etween 7ritain and the (, started in 19G5 in the hope of reaching a satisfactory, non.racist constit%tion. In 19G< ?A+' and ?A-' !erged to for! the -atriotic ,ront )-,*. A new constit%tion was finally agreed y all parties in 19G9 and independence achieved in 1981..

S2a3ila%)

Independence from Britain: 196# &his little state was !ade a protectorate of the &ransvaal in 189F and a 7ritish protectorate in 191=. It achieved independence in 19<8 after fo%r years of li!ited self.govern!ent %nder @ing So h%8a.

5am!ia
Independence from Britain: 196. ,or!ally the 7ritish colony of +orthern (hodesia, the co%ntry was developed p%rely for its vast copper reso%rces. It was gro%ped with So%thern (hodesia )?i! a we* and +yasaland )$alawi* as part of a federation in 195=. Independence fro! 7ritain was achieved in 19<F as part of the progra! to dil%te the power of white racists in So%thern (hodesia.

5im!a!2e

Independence from Britain: 1965 Independence from minority 0$ite rule: 19#0 &he 7ritish colony of So%thern (hodesia eca!e part of the ,ederation of (hodesia and +yasaland in 195=. &he ?i! a we African -eopleEs 'nion, ?A-', was anned in 19<;. &he racially segregationist (hodesian ,ront )(,* was elected into power that sa!e year. In 19<= +orthern (hodesia and +yasaland p%lled o%t of the ,ederation, citing the e/tre!e conditions in the So%thern (hodesia, whilst (o ert $%ga e and the (everend Sithole for!ed the ?i! a we African +ational 'nion, ?A+', as an offshoot of ?A-'. In 19<F, Ian S!ith the new -ri!e $inister, anned ?A+' and re9ected the 7ritish conditions for independence of !%ltiparty, !%ltiracial r%le. )+orthern (hodesia and +yasaland were s%ccessf%l in achieving independence.* In 19<5 S!ith !ade a 'nilateral :eclaration of

His Imperial Majesty Spea's *+a%a 6 April 178 1979

&he convening of the Conference of Independent African States in Ghana, where responsi le states!en representing a free govern!ent are gathering to consider co!!on pro le!s, is a great and !o!ento%s event. As an integral part of the African Continent, "thiopia loo2s ac2 with pride to the role which she has played in the history of the develop!ent of Africa, and loo2s forward with confidence to the f%t%re of this great continent.

were no !ore than far.distant goals, have achieved the stat%s of free !en and are directing their efforts and energies to their own advance!ent. De are partic%larly gratified and pro%d that this develop!ent has een so !ar2ed and widespread on the great continent of Africa. Africa will no longer e the C%n2nown continentC, for its h%!an and !aterial reso%rces are eyond !eas%re, and this great continent now stands on the verge of an econo!ic, political and c%lt%ral develop!ent which, when reali8ed, will e witho%t parallel in history.

Et+i"pia:s 0art
HIM with leaders of East and Central Africa In her long and glorio%s history, "thiopia, has ti!e and again, had to str%ggle against overwhel!ing odds to preserve intact her traditional freedo! and independence and to g%arantee fro! generation to generation the right of free!en to wor2 o%t their own destiny witho%t interference or hindrance. &he world is only now co!ing to reali8e what "thiopia and Africa have long recogni8ed, that peace, independence and the prosperity of mankind can be achieved and assured only by the collective and united efforts of free men who are prepared to maintain eternal vigilance and labor unceasingly to protect these most precious of God s gifts. &he sy!pathy and s%pport which "thiopia received fro! other African peoples when she was invaded twenty.three years ago is a!ple testi!ony of the strong senti!ents which %nite all free African co%ntries. In o%r own lifeti!e the world has %ndergone changes !ore sweeping and stri2ing than those seen d%ring any si!ilar period in history. &echnical and scientific advances have co! ined to raise !an2ind to a level of !aterial achieve!ent never efore reali8ed. It is the d%ty and responsi ility of the Independent African States to f%rther this develop!ent and to ring the enefits of !odern civili8ation to increasingly large n%! ers of people in Africa. >owever, as !anEs capacity to i!prove his own lot has grown, so has his power to spread havoc and destr%ction correspondingly increased. &he Independent African States !%st ass%re that the growing weight of Africa is enlisted on the side of peace and 9%stice to the end of avoiding a third holoca%st which co%ld well eng%lf the entire world and res%lt in the total destr%ction of !an2ind. 7%t dwarfing even !anEs !aterial achieve!ents in the twentieth cent%ry has een the e!ergence of peoples all over the world into freedo! and independence. &oday, for the first ti!e, !en everywhere to who! freedo! and independence were, %t a short ti!e ago, only words, and for who! econo!ic and political self.deter!ination In this develop!ent, "thiopia will have its own partic%lar, and we feel, i!portant role to play. It is for this reason that we have charged O%r eloved Son -rince Sahle Selassie with the high !ission to e O%r personal representative and the head of the "thiopian :elegation to the Conference of Independent African States. !thiopia knows how hard"won is independence and how vital it is that men be #ealous of their freedom and be ever prepared to defend it$

HIM during Italian Invasion "thiopia 2nows, as her history has ta%ght her, that the world is s!all, and that cooperation a!ong all nations of the world, "ast and Dest ali2e, is not only possi le and desira le, %t indispensa le for the welfare of !an2ind. "thiopia 2nows that the willingness of the Independent States of Africa to cooperate and wor2 together in solving their co!!on pro le!s and achieving their co!!on goals is essential to the contin%ed progress of the African peoples. It is a propitio%s o!en for the f%t%re that at this very !o!ent the free nations of Africa are giving tangi le evidence of their deter!ination to wor2 together not only for their own good %t for the good of Africa and the entire world. &he tas2 is great. It de!ands wise #udgment and states!anship of the highest order. It re3%ires unceasing labor, a dedication to f%nda!ental principles and o 9ectives and a deter!ination to overco!e all o stacles, however large. >e who s%ffers con3%ers, and in the final resort, wins the crown of victory. De pray that Al!ighty God will less the Conference with strength and wisdo! and crown its efforts with s%ccess. . >I$ >aile Selassie

De, the >eads of African States and Govern!ents asse! led in the City of Addis A a a, "thiopia C"%,i%#e) that it is the inaliena le right of all people to control their own destiny, C"%s#i"$s of the fact that freedo!, e3%ality, 9%stice and dignity are essential o 9ectives for the achieve!ent of the legiti!ate aspirations of the African peoples, C"%s#i"$s of o%r responsi ility to harness the nat%ral and h%!an reso%rces of o%r continent for the total advance!ent of o%r peoples in all spheres of h%!an endeavo%r, I%spire) y a co!!on deter!ination to pro!ote %nderstanding a!ong o%r peoples and cooperation a!ong o%r states in response to the aspirations of o%r peoples for rother.hood and solidarity, in a larger %nity transcending ethnic and national differences, C"%,i%#e) that, in order to translate this deter!ination into a dyna!ic force in the ca%se of h%!an progress, conditions for peace and sec%rity !%st e esta lished and !aintained, Determi%e) to safeg%ard and consolidate the hard.won independence as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of o%r states, and to fight against neocolonialis! in all its for!s, De)i#ate) to the general progress of Africa, 0ers$a)e) that the Charter of the 'nited +ations and the 'niversal :eclaration of >%!an (ights, to the -rinciples of which we reaffir! o%r adherence, provide a solid fo%ndation for peacef%l and positive cooperation a!ong States, Desir"$s that all African States sho%ld henceforth %nite so that the welfare and well. eing of their peoples can e ass%red, Res"l,e) to reinforce the lin2s etween o%r states y esta lishing and strengthening co!!on instit%tions, >ave agreed to the present Charter.

Establishment
ArticleI 1; T+e Hig+ C"%tra#ti%g 0arties )" !y t+e prese%t C+arter esta!lis+ a% Orga%i3ati"% t" !e '%"2% as t+e OR*ANI5ATION OF AFRICAN 4NITY;

#""perati"%? !> E#"%"mi# #""perati"%8 i%#l$)i%g tra%sp"rt a%) #"mm$%i#ati"%s? =#> E)$#ati"%al a%) #$lt$ral #""perati"%? =)> Healt+8 sa%itati"% a%) %$triti"%al #""perati"%? =e> S#ie%ti-i# a%) te#+%i#al #""perati"%? a%) =-> C""perati"% -"r )e-e%se a%) se#$rity;

"t+er States; 6; A!s"l$te )e)i#ati"% t" t+e t"tal ema%#ipati"% "t+e A-ri#a% territ"ries 2+i#+ are still )epe%)e%t; C; A--irmati"% "- a p"li#y "%"%6alig%me%t 2it+ regar) t" all !l"#s;

Purpose
ArticleII 1; T+e Orga%i3ati"% s+all +a,e t+e -"ll"2i%g p$rp"ses< =a> T" pr"m"te t+e $%ity a%) s"li)arity "- t+e A-ri#a% States? =!> T" #""r)i%ate a%) i%te%si-y t+eir #""perati"% a%) e--"rts t" a#+ie,e a !etter li-e -"r t+e pe"ples "- A-ri#a? =#> T" )e-e%) t+eir s",ereig%ty8 t+eir territ"rial i%tegrity a%) i%)epe%)e%#e? =)> T" era)i#ate all -"rms "- #"l"%ialism -r"m A-ri#a? a%) =e> T" pr"m"te i%ter%ati"%al #""perati"%8 +a,i%g )$e regar) t" t+e C+arter "- t+e 4%ite) Nati"%s a%) t+e 4%i,ersal De#larati"% "- H$ma% Rig+ts; @; T" t+ese e%)s8 t+e Mem!er States s+all #""r)i%ate a%) +arm"%i3e t+eir ge%eral p"li#ies8 espe#ially i% t+e -"ll"2i%g -iel)s< a> 0"liti#al a%) )ipl"mati#

Membership
ArticleIV Ea#+ i%)epe%)e%t s",ereig% A-ri#a% State s+all !e e%title) t" !e#"me Mem!er "- t+e Orga%i3ati"%;

Principles
ArticleIII T+e Mem!er States8 i% p$rs$it "- t+e p$rp"ses state) i% Arti#le II s"lem%ly a--irm a%) )e#lare t+eir a)+ere%#e t" t+e -"ll"2i%g pri%#iples< 1; T+e s",ereig% e.$ality "- all Mem!er States; @; N"%6i%ter-ere%#e i% t+e i%ter%al a--airs "- States; 3; Respe#t -"r t+e s",ereig%ty a%) territ"rial i%tegrity "- ea#+ State a%) -"r its i%alie%a!le rig+t t" i%)epe%)e%t eAiste%#e; B; 0ea#e-$l settleme%t ")isp$tes !y %eg"tiati"%8 me)itati"%8 #"%#iliati"% "r ar!itrati"%; 7; 4%reser,e) #"%)em%ati"%8 i% all its -"rms8 "p"liti#al assassi%ati"% as 2ell as "- s$!,ersi,e a#ti,ities "% t+e part "%eig+!"ri%g States "r a%y

RightsandDutie sof MemberStates

ArticleV All Mem!er States s+all e%j"y e.$al rig+ts a%) +a,e e.$al )$ties; ArticleVI T+e Mem!er States ple)ge t+emsel,es t" "!ser,e s#r$p$l"$sly t+e pri%#iples e%$merate) i% Arti#le III "t+e prese%t C+arter;

Th+O.A.U. P'#t%&%,'t%(H+'*. "$ St't+ 1963

Algeria 0resi)e%t A+me) &e% &ella

Camer""% 0resi)e%t A+ama)"$ A+i)j"

Egypt 0resi)e%t *amal A!)el Nasser

&e%i% F"reig% Mi%ister H$!ert Maga

Ce%tral A-ri#a% Rep$!; 0resi)e%t Da,i) Da#'"

Eth%",%' H%. I/,+#%'0 M'1+.t2 H'%0+ S+0'..%+

&$r'i%a Fas" 0resi)e%t H;E; Ma$ri#e Yame"g"

C+a) 0resi)e%t Fra%#"is T"m!al!aye *a!"% 0resi)e%t e"% MD&a

&$r$%)i 0resi)e%t M2ami M2am!$sta

Rep$!li# "- t+e C"%g" 0resi)e%t F$l!ert Y"$l"$

*+a%a 0resi)e%t 12ame N'r$ma+

*$i%ea 0resi)e%t Se'"$ T"$re

Malagasy Rep$!li# 0resi)e%t 0+ili!ert Tsira%a%a

Niger 0resi)e%t Hama%i Di"ri

C"te DDI,"ire 0resi)e%t H"$p+"$et6&"ig%y

Mali 0resi)e%t M")i!" 1eita

Nigeria *",er%"r6*e%eral N%am)i A3i'i2e

i!eria 0resi)e%t Eilliam T$!ma%

Ma$rita%ia First 0remier M"'+tar Da))a+

Nigeria 0rime Mi%ister Al+aji Sir A; &ale2a

i!ya His Majesty 1i%g I)ris I

M"r"##" 1i%g Hassa% II

R2a%)a 0resi)e%t *r"ire 1ayi!a%)a

Se%egal 0resi)e%t e"p"l) Se%g+"r

Ta%3a%ia 0resi)e%t F$li$s Nyerere

Africa Hall, Addis Ababa

Meeting of the Minds

HIM giving speech at OAU

Sierra e"%e 0resi)e%t Milt"% Margai

T$%isia 0resi)e%t Ha!i! &"$rg$i!a

HIM with Sekou oure of !uinea

S"malia 0resi)e%t A!)ella Osma%

T"g" 0resi)e%t Syl,a%$s Olympi"

HIM "eeting with #oreign Minister $ete"a %ifru who was ver& instru"ental in the organi'ation process of the first OAU "eeti

S$)a% 0resi)e%t Mars+al A!!"$)

4ga%)a 0rime Mi%ister O!"te

:",I+I+G A,(ICA+ #I7"(A&IO+ :AJB C"#"7(A&I+G &>(' S&('GG#" A+: #IAI+G -(AC&IC" #os Angeles Sentinel, 15.;F.1G, p. A.G :(. $A'#A+A @A("+GA
In the conte/t and c%rrents of h%!an history, African li eration is an aweso!e ongoing historical pro9ect and a living practice of daily life. It is that long, hard and heroic str%ggle 7lac2 people wage everywhere to resist and radically re9ect the i!position of Dhite s%pre!acy in all its savage and s% tle for!s, and to sec%re freedo!, 9%stice, power, peace and serio%s and s%stained progress in o%r lives and the world. And it is the daily personal and social practices we engage in to end oppression, avoid social sed%ction and c%lt%ral entrap!ent, and create and s%stain free space to e o%r African selves, live lives of dignity, decency and !eaning and aid the overall str%ggle for li eration and ever higher levels of h%!an life. In a larger sense, African li eration is part of the overall str%ggle for h%!an li eration and we are, as A!ilcar Ca ral ta%ght, 4anony!o%s soldiers5 for the whole of h%!anity. ,or every inch, acre, 2ilo!eter and !ile, co%ntry, region or continent we free or help free e/pands the real! of h%!an freedo! and flo%rishing in the world. De are a world African co!!%nity and as the >on. $arc%s Garvey ta%ght %s, the whole world !%st e o%r area of attention and activity where Africans are concerned. &h%s, in :arf%r, the +iger :elta, >aiti, Aene8%ela, Colo! ia, 7ra8il, C% a and elsewhere we !%st stand in solidarity with o%r people, and aid the! in any way we can. And we !%st stand in solidarity with all oppressed, str%ggling and progressive people, and e in the vang%ard of all 9%st ca%ses. As Ca ral noted, o%r pri!ary d%ty is the li eration of o%r i!!ediate people, nation and co%ntry. 7%t as he, $alcol!, @wa!e +2r%!ah and $ary $c#eod 7eth%ne infor!ed %s, %nless we lin2 o%r str%ggles to other peoples of the world, we isolate o%rselves, fail to achieve needed strength, leave !ore passive or active allies for o%r oppressor and %lti!ately hinder and h%rt o%r 9%st ca%se. Since the Si/ties o%r organi8ation 's has ta%ght that at the core of o%r str%ggle !%st e a clear philosophy and at the heart of o%r practice, co!pelling principles. O%r philosophy is @awaida, an ongoing synthesis of the est of African tho%ght and practice in constant e/change with the world. O%r f%nda!ental principles are the +g%8o Sa a )&he Seven -rinciples* which is a val%e syste! that esta lishes standards and priorities which in t%rn offers possi ilities, pointing toward the victory for the str%ggle we wage and toward a vision of the life we str%ggle to live. On this African #i eration :ay, $ay ;5, this day of reco!!it!ent to o%r li eration str%ggles, let %s reco!!it o%rselves also to these core principles which have een e! raced thro%gho%t the world African co!!%nity as a path to li eration and a living practice of good in the world. &he first of these principles is '!o9a )'nity* which calls for o%r active %nity, as a people in str%ggle, and for o%r feeling a deep and end%ring sense of 2inship with all African people, a 2inship rooted in history, lood, c%lt%re and str%ggle. &his !eans we !%st feel deeply the s%ffering of the sisters and rothers in :arf%r and find and s%pport ways to relieve and end it. It !eans also identifying with and aiding the people of >aiti whose rave and %n rea2a le spirit honors %s all and in whose resilient h%!anity we recogni8e o%r own. And so it is with Africans everywhere.

:",I+I+G A,(ICA+ #I7"(A&IO+ :AJB ; C"#"7(A&I+G &>(' S&('GG#" A+: #IAI+G -(AC&IC" #os Angeles Sentinel, 15.;F.1G, p. A.G :(. $A'#A+A @A("+GA

&he principle of @%9ichag%lia )Self.:eter!ination* calls on %s to constantly dialog with o%r c%lt%re and e/tract and p%t into !otion its !odels of h%!an e/cellence and achieve!ent and its paradig!s of possi ility. It re3%ires a radical r%pt%re with the anti.h%!an ideology and practical insanity of the oppressor and a relentless str%ggle to thin2 and act African and free, and to create the conditions for the possi ility and practice of oth. Indeed, as ,rant8 ,anon ta%ght, real li eration !eans 4not only the disappearance of colonialis!, %t also the disappearance of the coloni8ed !an5 and the coloni8ed wo!an. #i2ewise, li eration !eans not only the end of enslave!ent and Dhite s%pre!acy, %t the end of the enslaved.!inded and white.worshiping !an and wo!an. As $in. $alcol! ta%ght, 4we !%st la%nch a c%lt%ral revol%tion . . . and recapt%re o%r heritage and o%r identity, if we are every to li erate o%rselves fro! the onds of Dhite s%pre!acy.5 And this re3%ires o%r rooting o%t every inch, o%nce, and iota of the data of do!ination in %s and daring to approach the world and cond%ct o%rselves within the conte/t of the est of o%r own c%lt%re. &he third principle '9i!a )Collective Dor2 and (esponsi ility* calls for the active engage!ent of African people in li erating o%rselves and %ilding the good world we str%ggle for. It is we who !%st fight for freedo! and 9%stice, sec%re the necessities of life, overthrow dictators and develop de!ocracy, and do the pondero%s wor2 of peace. And it is the !asses of African people who !%st protect and pro!ote h%!an rights, recover and reconstr%ct their c%lt%re and %se it to i!agine and ring into eing a new way of eing h%!an in the world. &he fo%rth principle is '9a!aa )Cooperative "cono!ics* which calls for the practice of shared wor2 and shared wealth. It reaffir!s the right of African people to their h%!an and !aterial reso%rces, re9ects corporate and predator.co%ntry clai!s of de t and their i!position of anti.people policies, s%pports reparations and recovery of stolen riches, and calls for an e3%ita le distri %tion of each co%ntries0 wealth in the interests of the well. eing and flo%rishing of the !asses. &he fifth principle +ia )-%rpose* calls for o%r co!!it!ent to the collective vocation of an African renaissance, ret%rning Africa and the world African co!!%nity to their traditional greatness as self.conscio%s ringers of good in the world, peace!a2ers, protectors of the poor and v%lnera le, allies in all 9%st ca%ses, and weighty partners in i!agining and ringing into eing a new history of h%!an2ind. &he si/th principle @%%! a )Creativity* calls on %s to heal, repair and transfor! the world, doing all we can in the way we can in order to leave o%r co!!%nities and the world etter, !ore ea%tif%l and eneficial than we inherited the!. And finally, the principle of I!ani ),aith* calls on %s to elieve in o%rselves and o%r people and in the righteo%sness and victory of o%r str%ggleK to hold fast and fir! to o%r faith in the good and o%r capacity to create and share it and pass on to o%r children a f%t%re, forged and fra!ed in freedo!, 9%stice, e!power!ent, progress and a 9%st and end%ring peace. :r. $a%lana @arenga, -rofessor of 7lac2 St%dies, California State 'niversity.#ong 7each, Chair of &he Organi8ation 's, Creator of @wan8aa, and a%thor of @wan8aaB A Cele ration of ,a!ily, Co!!%nity and C%lt%re, Lwww.'s.Organi8ation.org and www.Official@wan8aaDe site.orgM.

Hist"ry
-eople of African origin pro a ly first arrived in the A!ericas with the Spanish and -ort%g%ese in the 15th and 1<th cent%ries. ,or e/a!ple, -edro Alonso +iNo, traditionally considered the first of !any +ew Dorld e/plorers of African descent L9M was a navigator in the 1F9; Col%! %s e/pedition. &hose who were directly fro! Africa !ostly arrived in #atin A!erica as part of the Atlantic slave trade, as agric%lt%ral, do!estic, and !enial la orers and as !inewor2ers. &hey were also e!ployed in !apping and e/ploration )for e/a!ple, "stevanico* and were even involved in con3%est )for e/a!ple, O%an Aaliente*. &hey were !ostly ro%ght fro! Dest Africa and Central Africa in what are now the nations of +igeria, Ghana, 7enin, Angola, and Congo, &here are three !a9or gro%psB the Jor% a, A2an, and the 7ant%. $ost of the slaves were sent to 7ra8il, -er%, and the Cari ean, %t lesser n%! ers went to Colo! ia and Aene8%ela. Co%ntries with significant lac2, !%latto, or 8a! o pop%lations today incl%de 7ra8il )8< !illion*, Colo! ia )11 !illion*, >aiti )8.G !illion*, :o!inican (ep% lic )F !illion*, C% a )%p to F !illion*, and -%erto (ico );1P.F<P*. (ecent genetic research in '-( $ayag%e8 has ro%ght to light that ;<.FP of -%erto (icans have African heritage on the Q chro!oso!e and ;1P on the J chro!oso!e, th%s etween ;1P.F<P of the -%erto (ican pop%lation has African heritage

S"$t+ Ameri#a
A#-+(t%(' &here are appro/i!ately 5;,111 Afro.#atin A!ericans in Argentina. B"0%3%' African descendants in 7olivia acco%nt for a o%t =P of the pop%lation. &hey were ro%ght in d%ring the Spanish colonial ti!es and the !a9ority live in the J%ngas. B#'4%0 Aro%nd F<P of 7ra8ilEs 188 !illion people are Afro.7ra8ilians )=9P either African and "%ropean ancestry and African, "%ropean and A!erindian ancestry, GP African ancestry*. Aro%nd 81P of the northeast state of 7ahia is of African descent. 7ra8il e/perienced a long internal str%ggle over a olition of slavery and was the last #atin A!erican co%ntry to adopt it. In 1851 it finally anned the i!portation of new slaves fro! overseas, after two decades since the first official atte!pts to o%tlaw the h%!an traffic )in spite of illegal parties of African slaves that 2ept arriving till 1855*. In 18<F 7ra8il e!ancipated the slaves, and on Septe! er ;8, 18G1, the 7ra8ilian Congress approved the (io 7ranco #aw of ,ree 7irth, which conditionally freed the children of slaves orn fro! that day on. In 188G ar!y officers ref%sed to order their troops to h%nt r%naway slaves, and in 1888 the Senate passed a law esta lishing i!!ediate, %n3%alified e!ancipation. &his law, 2nown as #ei R%rea )Golden #aw* was sanctioned y the regent Isa el, -rincess I!perial of 7ra8il, da%ghter of the e!peror -edro II on $ay 1=, 1888.L1=M One of the !ost fa!o%s Afro.#atin A!ericans is the 7ra8ilian foot aller -elS. h%0+ Chile enslaved a o%t <,111 lac2s, a o%t one.third of who! arrived efore 1<15K !ost were %tili8ed in agric%lt%re aro%nd Santiago. L1=M &oday there are very few Afro.Chileans, at the !ost, fewer than 1.1P can e esti!ated fro! the ;11< pop%lation.L11M $ario (o9as, a Chilean !%sician dedicated to reviving the traditional c%eca in Chile elieves that this traditional dance has its roots in Africa in part for the <H8 rhyth! which passed fro! Ara ia thro%gh to +igeria, and also its syncopated lyrics.L1FM

"0"/5%' Availa le esti!ates range fro! F.F to 11.5 !illion Afro.Colo! ians.L15M Afro.Colo! ians !a2e %p appro/i!ately ;1P )9,15F,5=G* of the pop%lation, according to a pro9ection of the +ational Ad!inistration :epart!ent of Statistics ):A+"*,L11M !ost of who! are concentrated on the northwest Cari ean coast and the -acific coast in s%ch depart!ents as ChocT, altho%gh considera le n%! ers are also in Cali, Cartagena, and 7arran3%illa. Colo! ia is considered to have the third largest 7lac2HAfrican.descent pop%lation in the western he!isphere, following 7ra8il and the '.S. It has een esti!ated that so!e F.F !illion Afro.Colo! ians actively recogni8e their own lac2 ancestry, while !any other Afro.Colo! ians do not, as a res%lt of inter.racial relations with white and indigeno%s Colo! ians.L15M &hey have een historically a sent fro! high level govern!ent positions. $any of their long.esta lished settle!ents aro%nd the -acific coast have re!ained %nderdeveloped.L15M In Colo! iaEs ongoing internal conflict, Afro.Colo! ians are oth victi!s of violence or displace!ent and !e! ers of ar!ed factions, s%ch as the ,A(C and the A'C. Afro.Colo! ians have played a role in contri %ting to the develop!ent of certain aspects of Colo! ian c%lt%re. ,or e/a!ple, several of Colo! iaEs !%sical genres, s%ch as C%! ia, have African origins or infl%ences. So!e Afro.Colo! ians have also een s%ccessf%l in sports s%ch as ,a%stino Asprilla. San 7asilio de -alen3%e is a village in Colo! ia that is noted for !aintaining !any African traditions. It was declared a $asterpieces of the Oral and Intangi le >eritage of >%!anity y '+"SCO in ;115.L1<M &he residents of palen3%e still spea2 -alen3%ero, a SpanishHAfrican creoleL1GM E&6'*"# In ;11< "c%ador had a pop%lation of 1=,5FG,511 with 8P, or 1,18=,811 descendants fro! Spanish and African people. L11M &he Afro."c%adorian c%lt%re is fo%nd in the northwest coastal region of "c%ador and !a2e %p the !a9ority )G1P* in the province of "s!eraldas and the Chota Aalley in the I! a %ra -rovince. &hey can e also fo%nd in U%ito and G%aya3%il. &he est 2nown c%lt%ral infl%ence 2nown o%tside of "c%ador is a distinctive 2ind of !ari! a !%sic. 7ao is a f%sion of native rhyth!s and Cari ean rhyth!s incl%ding cando! e, salsa, !ereng%e, reggae and calypso. ,ro! the Chota Aalley there is 7o! a )"c%ador* !%sic which is very different fro! !ari! a fro! "s!eraldas. P'#'-6'2 7lac2 -arag%ayans are descended fro! African slaves ro%ght to -arag%ay y the 1<th cent%ry. &hey eca!e a significant presence in the co%ntry, and !ade %p 11P of the pop%lation in 1G85. &oday, there are an esti!ated <=,111 lac2s -arag%ayans, or 1P of the pop%lation.L18M $ost Afro.-arag%ayans esta lished co!!%nities in towns s%ch as Areg%V, "! oscada, and G%ara! arS. $any achieved their freedo! d%ring the Spanish r%le. In the capital As%nciTn, there is a co!!%nity of =11 Afro.-arag%ayan fa!ilies in the ,ernando de la $ora !%nicipality. P+#6 Afro.-er%vians !a2e %p a o%t =.FP of the pop%lation )close to a !illion*. Afro.-er%vian !%sic was little 2nown even in -er% %ntil the 1951s, when it was pop%lari8ed y the perfor!er +ico!edes Santa Cr%8.L19M 'r%g%ay African slaves and their descendants fig%red pro!inently in the fo%nding of 'r%g%ay. In the late 1G11s $ontevideo eca!e a !a9or arrival port for slaves, !ost ro%ght fro! -ort%g%ese colonies of Africa and o%nd for Spanish colonies of the +ew Dorld, the !ines of -er% and 7olivia, and the fields of 'r%g%ay. In the 19th cent%ry, when 'r%g%ay 9oined other colonies in fighting for independence fro! Spain, 'r%g%ayan national hero Oose Artigas led an elite division of lac2 troops against the colonists. One of his top advisors was Ooa3%in #e8ina, 2nown as Ansina, a freed slave who co!posed !%sical odes a o%t his co!!anderEs e/ploits and is regarded y Afro. 'r%g%ayans as an %nheralded father of the nation.

7+(+46+0' 7lac2 Aene8%elans are descendants fro! African slaves ro%ght to Aene8%ela fro! the 1Gth to the 19th cent%ry for the coffee and cocoa crops. $ost of the African.Aene8%elans live in the +orth.central (egionB coastal towns in the area called 7arlovento )$iranda State*, +orthern Jarac%y, Cara o o and Arag%a States, and "astern Aargas StateK %t there are areas in So%th #a2e $aracai o )?%lia State* and +orthern $erida State in the Andes, a!ong others with several towns and villages. &hey have 2ept their traditions and c%lt%re alive especially thro%gh !%sic. Aene8%ela is a very racially !i/ed nation. (esearch in ;111 on genetic diversity y the Aene8%elan Instit%te of Scientific (esearch )Instit%to Aene8olano de Investigaciones CientWficas, IAIC* in which the pop%lation was co!pared to the historical patterns of the colonial castes. Adding to this new infor!ation a o%t genetic diseases and characteristics associated with people fro! S% .Saharan Africa, "%rope and +ative A!ericans reveals that appro/i!ately 5P of the pop%lation is of African descent and ;9P of the Aene8%elans are !%lattos )!i/ed African and "%ropean*, %t no f%rther data a o%t the a!o%nt of pardos )!i/ed lac2 and A!erindian* is provided.Lcitation neededM &his infor!ation reveals that at least =;P of the Aene8%elan of pop%lation is, to so!e e/tent, of Afro.Aene8%elan descent. Lcitation neededM. Afro.Aene8%elans have stood o%t as sports!en, !any of the! in the $a9or #eag%e 7ase all and other sports )e.g. for!er +7AH>o%ston (oc2ets forward Carl >errera*, however, !ost of the! donEt descri e the!selves as Afro.Aene8%elan, %t as #atinos or >ispanics or si!ply Aene8%elans.Lcitation neededM Afro.Aene8%elans have also stood o%t in arts, especially !%sic.Lcitation neededM In ;11< oth $iss 'niverse Aene8%ela and $iss Dorld Aene8%ela were !%latto, %t generally lac2 people are rarely seen in the local !edia. One of the !ost fa!o%s and controversial Afro.#atinos, Aene8%elan -resident >%go ChVve8 stated in an interview while visiting the 'nited States, CDhen we were children, we were told that we have a !otherland, and that !otherland was Spain. >owever, we have discovered later, in o%r lives, that as a !atter of fact, we have several !otherlands. And one of the greatest !otherlands of all is no do% t, Africa. De love Africa. And every day we are !%ch !ore aware of the roots we have in Africa... (acis! is very characteristic of i!perialis!. (acis! is very characteristic of capitalis!. @atrina isXindeed, has a lot to do with racis!Yno do% t a o%t it. >ate against !e has a lot to do with racis!. 7eca%se of !y ig !o%th, eca%se of !y c%rly hair. And I0! so pro%d to have this !o%th and this hair, eca%se it0s African.C L;1M

+(t#'0 A/+#%&'
&he Afro.#atin A!ericans of Central A!erica !ostly live in or near Cari ean coast. &he lac2s of 7eli8e, G%ate!ala, >ond%ras and +icarag%a, are of GarWf%na, Afro.Cari ean andHor $esti8o heritage, as well as of $is2ito heritage in the latter two. &hose of Costa (ica and -ana!a are !ostly of Afro.Cari ean heritage. $any Afro.Cari ean islanders arrived in -ana!a to help %ild the -ana!a Canal and to Costa (ica, >ond%ras and +icarag%a to wor2 in the anana plantations. B+0%4+ Once eing an e/tension to the co%ntry of G%ate!ala, the ethnic de!ographics in 7eli8e are one in the sa!e. 7eli8ean c%lt%re is a !i/ of "%ropean, $ayan Indian, and African, %t only <P of the pop%lation is considered lac2 or !%latto. &he !ain co!!%nity of African descent are the Garif%na, concentrated in 7eli8e City and :angriga. &he rest of the co!!%nity is of Afro.Cari ean stoc2 and !%lattoes. 7eli8e City, on the Cari ean coast, is the center of African c%lt%re in 7eli8e, with its pop%lation eing of !i/ed African, $ayan Indian, and "%ropean. ".t' R%&' &hree per cent of the pop%lation is of lac2 African descent )called Afro.Costa (icans* and are "nglish.spea2ing descendants of nineteenth cent%ry lac2 Oa!aican i!!igrant

wor2ers. &he indigeno%s pop%lation n%! ers aro%nd 1P, F1,==8 individ%als. In the G%anacaste -rovince, a significant portion of the pop%lation descends fro! a !i/ of local A!erindians, Africans and Spaniards. $ost Afro.Costa (icans are fo%nd in the #i!Tn -rovince. E0 S'03'*"# &he declining A!erindian pop%lation infl%enced a (oyal Ordinance iss%ed in 15F1 that gave the Spanish land owners and !iners per!ission to i!port African slaves into "l Salvador. &he +ew #aws did not officially co!e into effect in "l Salvador %ntil 15F8 when the president of the 4O%risdiction of #os Confines5 )which incl%ded "l Salvador* freed all A!erindian slaves in the co%ntry and reco!!ended that !ore Africans e ro%ght to "l Salvador to ta2e the place of those who had een freed. Over the ne/t seventy.five years %pwards of 11,111 Africans were ro%ght to wor2 on the haciendas and in the !ines of "l Salvador. In 1<=5 the town of San Aicente was esta lished y Spanish colonists and eca!e an i!portant center for the indigo trade. African slaves were ro%ght here to wor2 on near y plantations. Several other towns also had African co!!%nitiesB ?acatecol%ca )so%th of San Salvador*, China!eca )west of San $ig%el*, and Ah%achapan and Sonsonate ) oth west of San Salvador* all had si8a le African pop%lations at one ti!e. Dith the !i/ing of Spanish, African and A!erindians, there arose free 4!%latto5 and 48a! o5 co!!%nities in a n%! er of towns. ?a! os are persons of !i/ed A!erindian and African ancestry. So!e slaves atte!pted to gain their freedo! y !arrying into the A!erindian pop%lation. #aws were passed y the Spanish to prevent s%ch Afro.A!erindian %nions, %t the !i/ing of the two gro%ps co%ld not e prevented. Slaves contin%ed to !arry A!erindians with the idea that they !ight gain freedo!, if not for the!selves, then for their racially !i/ed offspring. &he children of s%ch %nions were free %nder Spanish law. ItEs said that a!ong Africans and A!erindians d%ring the colonial period, A!erindian wo!en wo%ld rather !arry Africans than A!erindiansK and neither !ore or less, Africans preferred to !arry A!erindian wo!en rather than African wo!an, so that their children will e orn free. L;1M &his res%lted in the creation of the 8a! o pop%lation gro%p. $%lattoes, !esti8os and 8a! os event%ally ca!e to !i/ with each other creating the so called !esti8o pop%lation of today. At the end of the colonial era the !i/ing of the vario%s races in the co%ntry was well on its way in creating a pop%lation that no longer had strong ethnic identities as A!erindian, African or "%ropean. In 1<;5 a planned slave re ellion in San Salvador was narrowly averted. As a res%lt, Spanish colonial a%thorities eca!e !ore rel%ctant to i!port any !ore slaves into the co%ntry then a sol%tely necessary. &hro%gho%t all of Central A!erica there were growing free !esti8o and !%latto pop%lations. &ogether with cheap native la or, fewer slaves were ro%ght to "l Salvador and Central A!erica after 1<;5 then d%ring the previo%s cent%ry. A process of the !i/ing together in "l Salvador of 4!%latto5, 48a! o5 and 4!esti8o5 res%lted in a pop%lation that was =1P of !i/ed ancestry y 1GG9. &he cens%s that year recorded 4!%lattos5 and 4!esti8os5 )together* as persons of !i/ed racial ancestry. &his cens%s reported ;5,111 4!%lattos and !esti8os5 living in the San Salvador area in that year. At the ti!e of independence )18;1*, the pop%lation of "l Salvador was over 51P of !i/ed racial ancestry. &oday the fig%re is over 91P. &here are really only vario%s 4shades of rown5 in the co%ntry with few e/tre!es in color variation. General $a/i!iliano >ernande8 $artine8 instit%ted race laws in 19=1 that prohi ited lac2s fro! entering the co%ntry, this changed d%ring the 1981s and the law was re!oved.L;;M In the area of fol2 and pop%lar !%sic, the infl%ences of Africa on "l Salvador eco!e very apparent. &he national fol2 instr%!ent, the !ari! a, has its origins in Africa and was ro%ght to G%ate!ala and the rest of Central A!erica y African slaves d%ring colonial ti!es. &he !elodies played on it show A!erindian, African and "%ropean infl%ences in oth for! and style. Salvadoran pop%lar !%sic, as well as its social dances, show strong connections to the rhyth!s of western and central Africa. &he !ost pop%lar social dances in "l Salvador are those that have een adopted fro! the Afro.Cari ean rhyth!s and

dances. &he C%! ia ca!e fro! Colo! ia, the (%! a.7olero fro! C% a and the $ereng%e fro! the :o!inican (ep% lic. +o Salvadoran social event is co!plete witho%t the playing of these Afro.Cari ean dances. &hey are so co!pletely integrated into Salvadoran life that they are today the !ost typical e/pressions of the pop%lar !%sical traditions of the co%ntry. In their Salvadoran for! they ta2e on a style that is si!ilar, yet different, fro! that which they originated. L;=M #atin.A!erican historian >% ert >erring wrote in his >istory of #atin A!erica )19<9* 4In the nations of #atin A!erica the white !an, the red !an, and the lac2 !an have !et and !erged with one another to for! a new 2ind of peopleB Oose Aasconcelos called it the ra8a cos!ica . the cos!ic race.5 -erhaps in no other #atin A!erican nation did the 4!erging5 of these three racial gro%ps eco!e so co!plete. G6't+/'0' G%ate!alan c%lt%re is a !i/ of "%ropean, $ayan Indian, and African, %t only ;P of the pop%lation is considered lac2 or !%latto. &he !ain co!!%nity of African descent are the Garif%na, concentrated in #ivingston and -%erto 7arrios. &he rest of the co!!%nity is of Afro.Cari ean stoc2 and !%lattoes. I8a al, on the Cari ean coast, is the center of African c%lt%re in G%ate!ala, with its pop%lation eing of !i/ed African, $ayan Indian, and "%ropean. Also !any of African decent are located in O%tiapa, G%ate!ala which are pri!arily of "%ropean and African e/tractions. In this region of the co%ntry there are still !any of African decent present today. Altho%gh !any !ay not recogni8e !ost of those that are d%e to loss of c%lt%re in O%tiapa, ,act of the !atter is that people learn in G%ate!alaEs history that there was once slaves in G%ate!ala. $any of the slaves ro%ght fro! Africa ca!e to G%ate!ala to wor2 on cotton, s%gar cane, to acco, and coffee plantations. &he !ain reason for slavery in G%ate!ala was eca%se of the large s%gar cane plantations and haciendas located on G%ate!alaEs -acific and Cari ean coasts. &he national fol2 instr%!ent, the !ari! a, has its origins in Africa and was ro%ght to G%ate!ala and the rest of Central A!erica y African slaves d%ring colonial ti!es. &he !elodies played on it show native A!erican, African and "%ropean infl%ences in oth for! and style. H"(*6#'. &he official cens%s of >ond%ras indicates that ;P of the pop%lation, or a o%t 151,111 individ%als, self.identified as lac2 d%ring the last official cens%s. &his n%! er is ased on self.identification and does not %se the A!erican definition of lood 3%ant%! to identify C lac2nessC as >enry Gates does in his esti!ate of the lac2 pop%lation of >ond%rasB C"sti!ates of people of African descent in >ond%ras vary widely, fro! 111,111 to =;1,111 )1.8 to 5.8 percent of the co%ntryEs 5.8 !illion people in 199F.C L;FM If one %ses the lood 3%ant%! definition of lac2ness, then lac2s ca!e to >ond%ras early in the colonial period. One of the !ercenaries who aided -edro de Alvarado in his con3%est of >ond%ras in 15=< was a lac2 slave wor2ing as a !ercenary to earn his freedo!. Alvarado sent his own slaves fro! G%ate!ala to wor2 the placer gold deposits in western >ond%ras as early as 15=F. &he earliest lac2 slaves consigned to >ond%ras were part of a license granted to the 7ishop Cristo al de -edra8a in 15FG to ring =11 slaves into >ond%ras. Certainly a large part of the !odern >ond%ran pop%lation today identified as !esti8o has at least so!e lac2 ancestry, %t they do not self.identify as lac2. &he self.identifying lac2 pop%lation in >ond%ras is !ostly of Dest Indian )Antillean origin*, descendants of indent%red la orers ro%ght fro! Oa!aica, >aiti, and other Cari ean Islands. &he Garif%na )or 7lac2 Cari s*, a people of !i/ed A!erindian and African ancestry, were e/pelled fro! the island of Saint Aincent after an %prising against the "nglish and in 1G9G and were e/iled to (oatan. ,ro! there they !ade their way along the Cari ean coast of 7eli8e, !ainland >ond%ras and +icarag%a. #arge Garif%na settle!ents in >ond%ras today incl%de &r%9illo, #a Cei a, and &ri%nfo de la Cr%8. "ven tho%gh they only ca!e to >ond%ras in 1G9G, the Garif%na are one of the seven officially recogni8ed

indigeno%s gro%ps in >ond%ras. Slaves on the north coast !i/ed with the $is2ito Indians, for!ing a gro%p referred to as the ?a! o $is2ito. &oday the $is2ito consider the!selves to e p%rely indigeno%s, denying this African heritage. L;5M &oday there are a si8a le n%! er of people in the depart!ent of Olancho )a center of gold !ining and cattle ranching* that wo%ld e considered lac2 y '.S. standards. &hey do not, however, identify as s%ch %t rather as !esti8o. L;<M &he 7lac2 Creoles of the 7ay Islands are today disting%ished as an ethnic gro%p for their racial difference fro! the !esti8os and lac2s, and their c%lt%ral difference as "nglish.spea2ing -rotestants.L;GM All these circ%!stances led to a denial y !any >ond%rans of their African heritage which reflects in the cens%s even to this day. C7lac2s were !ore pro le!atic as national sy! ols eca%se at the ti!e they were neither seen to represent !odernity nor a%tochthony, and their history of dislocation fro! Africa !eans they have no great pre.Col%! ian civili8ation in the A!ericas to call %pon as sy! ols of a glorio%s past. &h%s #atin A!erican states often end %p with a pri!arily CIndo.>ispanicC !esti8a9e where the Indian is privileged as the roots of the nation and lac2ness is either !ini!i8ed or co!pletely erased.CL;8M N%&'#'-6' A o%t 9P of +icarag%aEs pop%lation is lac2, or Afro.+icaragZense, and !ainly reside on the co%ntryEs sparsely pop%lated Cari ean coast. &he lac2 pop%lation is !ostly of Dest Indian )Antillean* origin, the descendants of indent%red la orers ro%ght !ostly fro! Oa!aica and other Cari ean Islands when the region was a 7ritish protectorate. &here is also a s!aller n%! er of GarWf%na, a people of !i/ed Cari , Angolan, Congolese and Arawa2 descent. &he GarWf%na live along the Cari ean coast and islands. +icarag%a has the largest pop%lation of lac2s in Central A!erica. Afro.+icarag%ans are !ainly fo%nd on the a%tono!o%s regions of (AA+ and (AAS on the Cari ean Coast of the co%ntry. P'('/' 7lac2 la orers fro! the 7ritish Dest Indies, !ainly Oa!aica, arrived in -ana!a y the tens of tho%sands in the first half of the twentieth cent%ry. Dhile !ost were involved in the effort to %ild the -ana!a Canal, !any also ca!e to wor2 on -ana!aEs anana plantations. 7y 1911 the -ana!a Canal Co!pany e!ployed !ore than 51,111 wor2ers, three.3%arters of who! were Antillean lac2s. &hey for!ed the n%cle%s of a co!!%nity separated fro! the larger society y race, lang%age, religion, and c%lt%re.

'#%55+'(
65' According to a ;111 national cens%s which s%rveyed 11.; !illion C% ans, 1.1 !illion C% ans descri ed the!selves as 7lac2, while ;.8 !illion considered the!selves to e C!%lattoC or C!esti8oC or C9avaoC or C!oroC.L;9M $any C% ans still locate their origins in specific African ethnic gro%ps or regions, partic%larly Jor% a, Ig o and Congo, %t also ArarV, Cara alW, $andingo, ,%la and others. &here is also a significant presence of lac2 >aitian i!!igrants in the co%ntry. Creole lang%age and c%lt%re first entered C% a with the arrival of >aitian i!!igrants at the start of the nineteenth cent%ry. >aiti was a ,rench colony, and the final years of the 1G91.181F >aitian (evol%tion ro%ght a wave of ,rench settlers fleeing with their >aitian slaves to C% a. &hey ca!e !ainly to the east, and especially G%antana!o, where the ,rench later introd%ced s%gar c%ltivation, constr%cted s%gar refineries and developed coffee plantations. 7y 181F so!e =1,111 ,rench were living in 7aracoa and $aisi, the f%rthest eastern !%nicipalities of the province. #ater, >aitians contin%ed to co!e to C% a to wor2 as ra8eros )hand wor2ers, fro! the Spanish word ra8o, !eaning Car!C* in the fields c%tting cane. &heir living and wor2ing conditions were not !%ch etter than slavery. Altho%gh they planned to ret%rn to >aiti, !ost stayed on in C% a. ,or years, !any >aitians and their descendants in C% a did not identify the!selves as s%ch or spea2 Creole. In the eastern part of the island !any >aitians s%ffered discri!ination. 7%t since 1959 the Castro regi!e

clai!s that discri!ination against C% ans of >aitian descent has stopped. After Spanish, Creole is the second !ost.spo2en lang%age in C% a. Over F11,111 C% ans either spea2 it fl%ently, %nderstand it %t spea2 with diffic%lty, or have at least so!e fa!iliarity with the lang%age. It is !ainly in those co!!%nities, where >aitians and their descendants live, that Creole is !ost spo2en. In addition to the eastern provinces there are also co!!%nities in Ciego de Avila and Ca!ag%ey provinces where the pop%lation still !aintains Creole, their !other tong%e. Classes in Creole are offered in G%antana!o, $atan8as and the City of >avana. &here is a Creole.lang%age radio progra!. So!e of the !ost fa!o%s Afro.C% anos are Salsa #egend Celia Cr%8 and I rahi! ,errer of the 7%ena Aista Social Cl% . D"/%(%&'( R+,650%& G=P are !i/ed )!ostly !%latto* L=1 M L=1 M, 11P are 7lac2, and 1<P are Dhite, with no fewer than nine ethnic !i/es incl%dingB !esti8os, !%lattoes, 8a! os, grifos, 3%adroon Indians, 3%adroon !%lattoes, p%chelas, saltaras, and ca ras. &here is also a significant presence of lac2 >aitian i!!igrants in the co%ntry %p to a !illion >aitians live in the :o!inican (ep% lic. &here are also i!!igrants fro! other #atin A!erican co%ntries incl%ding C% a, Aene8%ela, and Colo! ia. :o!inican c%lt%re is a !i/t%re of &aino A!erindian, African, and "%ropean origins. Dhile &aino infl%ences are present in !any :o!inican traditions, the "%ropean and African infl%ences are the !ost noticea le. H'%t% &he pop%lation of >aiti is 8.G !illion, of which 95P are of African descent and the re!aining 5P is !%latto and white.L=;M $ara o% is a ter! of >aitian origin denoting a >aitian of !%ltiracial ethnicity. &he ter! descri es the offspring of a 7lac2 AfricanH"%ropean or !%latto and an A!erindian, specifically the native &aWno, orn in >aiti )for!erly Saint.:o!ing%e*. &he heavy pop%lation of Africans on the island esta lished y the ,rench and Spanish dil%ted the generations of so.called C!ara o%sC over the decades and virt%ally all >aitians today of s%pposed A!erindian descent are ass%!ed to also possess African ancestry.Lcitation neededM Several other ter!s e/ist for the !ara o% racial !i/t%re in other co%ntries )see Caf%8o, ?a! o*. >aiti is an Afro.#atin nation with strong African contri %tions to the c%lt%re as well as its lang%age, !%sic and religion. &o a lesser degree ,rench, Spaniard, and in rare occasions )food, art, and fol2 religion* &aino and Ara c%sto!s are present in society. 0$ert" Ri#" According to the ;111 '.S. Cens%s ta2en in -%erto (ico, 81.5P of -%erto (icans identified as Dhite, 8P of the pop%lation as 7lac2 and 11.9P as of !i/ed or other race. L==M An island.wide !itochondrial :+A )!t:+A* st%dy cond%cted y the 'niversity of -%erto (ico at $ayagZe8 revealed that <1P of -%erto (icans have !aternal +ative A!erican ancestry, ;<.FP have !aternal Dest or Central African ancestry, and 1;.<P have !aternal "%ropean ancestry. L=FM On the other hand, the J chro!oso!e evidence showed -%erto (icansE patrilineage to e appro/i!ately G5P "%ropean, ;1P African, and less than 5P indigeno%s. &he co! ined res%lts reveal a !ostly !esti8o )&aino and "%ropean* pop%lation with i!portant "%ropean and African ele!ents ):e!ographics of -%erto (ico* &hese critics !aintain that a !a9ority of -%erto (icans are racially !i/ed, %t that they do not feel the need to identify as s%ch. &hey arg%e, f%rther!ore, that -%erto (icans tend to ass%!e that they are of African, A!erican Indian, and "%ropean ancestry and only identify the!selves as !i/ed if having parents CappearingC to e of separate CracesC. It sho%ld also e noted that -%erto (ico %nderwent a CwhiteningC process while %nder '.S. r%le. &he cens%s.ta2ers at the t%rn of the ;1th Cent%ry recorded a h%ge disparity in the n%! er of C lac2C and CwhiteC -%erto (icans etween the 1911 and 19;1 cens%ses. C7lac2C s%ddenly egan to disappear fro! one cens%s to another )within 11 yearsE ti!e*, possi ly d%e to

redefinition of the ter!. It also appears that the C lac2C ele!ent within the c%lt%re was si!ply disappearing possi ly d%e to the pop%lar idea that in the '.S. one co%ld only advance econo!ically and socially if one were to pass for CwhiteC. L=5M $isinfor!ation of ethnic pop%lations within -%erto (ico also e/isted %nder Spanish r%le, when the +ative A!erindian )&aino* pop%lations were recorded as eing Ce/tinctC. 7iological science has now rewritten their history oo2s. &hese tri es were not vol%ntary travelers, %t have since lended into the !ainstrea! -%erto (ican pop%lation )as all the others have een* with &aino ancestry eing the co!!on thread that inds. $any so.called Cp%reC lac2s in -%erto (ico are fo%nd in the coastal areas, areas traditionally associated with s%gar cane plantations )especially in the towns #oi8a, G%aya!a, -once, and Carolina*. Altho%gh, d%e to the :+A evidence that is eing presented y '-( at $ayag%e8, !any African loodlines have een recorded in the central !o%ntains of the island, tho%gh not written in the Spanish history oo2s of the ti!e. Conse3%ently, &aino loodlines have eg%n appearing in the coastal towns. All this s%ggesting that escaped Africans ran off to the !o%ntains to escape the slaveowners, while so!e &ainos re!ained close to their !ain staple food, fish. &he -%erto (ican !%sical genres of o! a and plena are of African and Cari ean origin respectively and danced to d%ring parties and African.derived festivals. $any 7oric%as who clai! DestHCentral African ancestry are descendants of enslaved Congo, Ig o and Jor% a tri es fro! Africa. After the a olition of slavery in 18G= and the Spanish.A!erican Dar of 1898 a n%! er of African A!ericans have also !igrated and settled in -%erto (ico. &wo of the !ost fa!o%s Afro.#atin A!ericans are -%erto (ican 7o/er ,eli/ C&itoC &rinidad and >all of ,a!e ase all player (o erto Cle!ente. M+8%&" &he vast !a9ority of conte!porary Afro.$e/icans inha it the so%thern region of $e/icoK those that !igrated north in the colonial period assi!ilated into the general pop%lation, !a2ing their e/istence in the co%ntry less evident than other gro%ps. So!e Afro.$e/ican factsB [ $e/icoEs second -resident, Aicente G%errero, an Afro.$e/ican, iss%ed a decree a olishing slavery and e!ancipating all slaves in 18;9, d%ring his short ter! as president. [ (ace is not considered for any official p%rpose, incl%ding the cens%s. [ Gaspar Janga fo%nded the first free African township in the A!ericas in 1<19. [ a 7lac2 !an na!ed "ste an el +egro )Steven the 7lac2*, a +orth African $oor fro! Spain, searched for the fa led city of CW ola with Ca e8a de Aaca. [ the song E#a 7a! aE, a traditional fol2 song and dance, was originally a song s%ng y African slaves in Aeracr%8 as they wor2ed. 7a! a is the na!e of an African tri e in Angola. [ Aeracr%8, Ca!peche, -Vn%co and Acap%lco were the !ain ports for the entrance of African slaves. [ In the past, offspring of AfricanHA!erindian !i/t%res were called 9arocho )wild pig*, chino or lo o )wolf*. &oday 9arocho refers to all inha itants of the state of Aeracr%8, witho%t regard to ancestry. [ $adison -ettis a well.2nown actress !other is $e/ican and her father is African A!erican.