CalEvents:Mar/Mar 5
From Sankofapedia
Notable events for March 5
Date
Event
Significance
March 5, 1770
Crispus Attucks becomes the first casualty of the Boston Massacre
On this day, Crispus Attucks, an African-American man, was killed during the Boston Massacre, becoming the first person to die in the American Revolution. His death made him one of the first martyrs for American independence and an important figure in African-American history.
March 5, 1955
Claudette Colvin arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat
On this day, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white person, nine months before Rosa Parks’ more famous protest. Colvin’s case was one of the first legal challenges to segregation laws and contributed to the Civil Rights Movement.
March 5, 1962
Anti-apartheid activist Robert Sobukwe imprisoned on Robben Island
On this day, Robert Sobukwe, a South African anti-apartheid leader and founder of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), was imprisoned on Robben Island. Sobukwe’s arrest and imprisonment became symbolic of the apartheid regime’s suppression of political dissent.
March 5, 1966
Kwame Nkrumah removed as President of Ghana
On this day, Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah, a leading Pan-Africanist, was officially removed from office following a military coup. His ousting marked a significant event in post-colonial African politics and a setback for the Pan-African movement.
March 5, 1987
Death of Hebert Macaulay, Nigerian nationalist and political leader
On this day, Herbert Macaulay, considered one of the fathers of Nigerian nationalism, passed away. Macaulay’s leadership helped lay the groundwork for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule, which was achieved in 1960.
March 5, 1991
Nelson Mandela elected as Deputy President of the ANC
On this day, Nelson Mandela was elected as Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC). His election marked a critical point in the transition to democracy in South Africa and his rise to national leadership.
March 5, 2015
Protests in South Africa over rising university fees
On this day, South African students staged protests against rising tuition fees, as part of the broader #FeesMustFall movement. The protests became a significant moment in post-apartheid South African history, highlighting economic inequality and access to education.