CalEvents:Aug/Aug 18
From Sankofapedia
Notable events for Aug 18
Date
Event
Significance
August 18, 1963
James Meredith graduates from the University of Mississippi
On this day, James Meredith became the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi. His enrollment in 1962, amidst violent opposition, marked a significant victory in the fight against segregation in the U.S. education system.
August 18, 1964
South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games
On this day, South Africa was officially banned from the Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to its apartheid policies. The ban remained in place until 1992 and was a major step in isolating the apartheid regime internationally.
August 18, 1971
Guinea-Bissau independence movement escalates
On this day, the PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) intensified its fight for independence against Portuguese colonial forces. This was a crucial point in the struggle, which would lead to Guinea-Bissau's independence in 1974.
August 18, 1978
Funeral of Jomo Kenyatta
On this day, the funeral of Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president, was held. Kenyatta was a key figure in Kenya’s independence movement and post-colonial governance, and his death marked the end of an era in Kenyan leadership.
August 18, 1998
U.S. embassies bombers captured in Kenya
On this day, several suspects involved in the bombing of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were captured. The attacks, which had occurred earlier that month, killed hundreds of Africans and drew global attention to the threat of terrorism in Africa.
August 18, 2005
Mauritania coup d'état leads to political transition
On this day, a coup d'état took place in Mauritania, leading to the removal of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya. The coup was seen as a critical turning point in Mauritania's political landscape, eventually leading to democratic elections in 2007.
August 18, 2017
Death of Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary-General
On this day, Kofi Annan, the Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, passed away. Annan's career and legacy were significant for African leadership on the global stage and for promoting peace and human rights worldwide.