After World War 2, many African countries gained independence from European colonial rule. This included Congo gaining independence from Belgium in 1960 and facing civil war, Ghana becoming the first sub-Saharan country independent from Britain in 1957, and Kenya achieving independence in 1963. However, newly independent countries faced many challenges, and conflicts arose in Nigeria during its decolonization and in Rwanda with the 1994 genocide between Hutus and Tutsis. Pan-African movements also sought to promote unity among the newly independent states.

1. End Of Empires
Nationalist and
Independence Movements
after WWII

2. In the 20th
Century…
• In the 20th
century,
many independence
movements occurred
in Africa, and
European colonies
dissolved.
• African countries
gained independence
but have faced many
challenges since
then.

3. Independence
• Belgian Congo-
– the Belgian Congo gained
independence from Belgium in
1960.
– The new country was called
Congo, but it was renamed Zaire
in the 1970s.
– After Congo became
independence, civil war broke
out .
– In 1965, Joseph Mobutu became
a dictator and ruled Zaire until
1997 when was overthrown in the
First Congo War.
– This country is now known as the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo.

4. Independence
Ghana-
– While a British colony, Ghana
was known as the Gold Coast.
– In 1947, Kwame Nkrumah led
a strike with the hopes of
gaining independence.
– In 1957, Great Britain granted
Ghana independence, and
Ghana became the first
African country south of the
Sahara to gain full
independence after World War
II.
– Kwame Nkrumah became the
first president of Ghana and
served until his government
was overthrown in 1966.

5. Independence
• Kenya-
– In 1944, the Kenya African
Union was started as a
movement for Kenya to
gain independence form
Great Britain.
– Jomo Kennyatta became
the leader of the Kenya
African Union.
– Kenya achieved
independence in 1963, and
Jomo Kennyatta became
it’s first president.

6. Independence
• Nigeria-
– Nigeria gained independence from
Great Britain in 1960 but faced
many challenges in uniting it’s
many ethnic groups.
– Within it’s borders, there were
over 250 ethnic groups which
spoke 395 different languages.
– Also, there were large populations
of Christians, Muslims, and
followers of traditional African
religions.
– A civil war broke out in 1967 when
the Ibo people created the
Republic of Biafra in the eastern
part of Nigeria.
– The civil war lasted until 1970.

7. Other Issues
• South Africa and Apartheid-
– A system of racial separation between
blacks and whites called apartheid
existed in South Africa for much of the
20th
century.
– Under the system, a white minority had
more power and rights than those of
the b lack minority.
– A group called the African National
Congress demanded equal rights for
blacks in the 1960’s.
– Nelson Mandela, the leader of the
ANC, was jailed in 1962. He remained
in jail until 1990 when he was released
by South African president F.W. de
Klerk.
– The South African government began
repealing apartheid laws, and it held
it’s first free elections in 1994.
– Nelson Mandela was elected
president in this election and served
until 1997.

8. One-party rule in Zimbabwe
• Since 1980, Zimbabwe has been
ruled by Robert Mugabe.
• He was first elected as Prime
Minister, but in 1987 he changed
the Constitution to make himself
president.
• Although Mugabe and his party
have won every election since
1980, many people believe that
corruption and voter fraud
occurred during these elections.
• Zimbabwe is currently in an
economic crisis whish is blamed
on the failed policies and
corruption of the Mugabe
administration.
• Zimbabwe has a high
unemployment rate and a high
inflation rate.

9. Genocide in Rwanda
• The two main ethnic
groups in Rwanda are the
Hutu and the Tutsi.
• In 1994, tensions
between the two ethnic
groups led to the killing of
between 500,000 and
one million people by the
Hutus.
• Most of the people killed
were Tutsis.

10. AIDS
• Sub Saharan Africa has been hit hard by
the HIV / AIDS epidemic.
• South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and
Namibia are several of the countries that
have high infection rates.
• The average life expectancy in these
countries has declined, and there are
many children who are orphans because
their parents have died from disease.

11. Pan-Africa Movement and the
African Union
• The Pan-African movement sought to
promote unity and cooperation among
African countries.
• The African Union evolved out of the Pan-
African movement.
• The African Union was created in 2001and
is the successor of the African Economic
Community (AEC) and the Organization of
African Unity.