Year of Africa

The year 1960 (1960) is sometimes called the Year of Africa because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. The year represented a peak in the decolonization of Africa and the sudden appearance of the continent as a major force in the United Nations. These rapid political changes led to speculation and hope about the future of Africa as a whole; yet at the same time, the continent was beginning to face the realities of post-colonial and neo-colonial violence. This year also saw the beginning of armed resistance to apartheid in South Africa, with political ramifications across Africa and around the world.

Read more about Year Of Africa:  Origin, Independence, South Africa, United Nations, Other Events, Effects and Legacy

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