CalEvents:Dec/Dec 24

Notable events for December 24

Date

Event

Significance

December 24, 1871

Birth of Daniel Hale Williams, pioneering African-American surgeon

Daniel Hale Williams, born on this day, became one of the first African-American surgeons in the United States. He is known for performing one of the first successful open-heart surgeries and founding Provident Hospital, the first Black-owned hospital in America.

December 24, 1951

Libya gains independence from the United Nations trusteeship

Libya became an independent nation on this day under King Idris I, making it the first country to achieve independence through the UN system. This was a significant moment in North African decolonization.

December 24, 1964

Independence of Zambia’s first African president, Kenneth Kaunda

Kenneth Kaunda, the first president of independent Zambia, was recognized for leading the country’s fight for independence from British colonial rule. His leadership was central to Zambia's role in supporting African liberation movements.

December 24, 1966

Battle of Kifangondo in Angola

The Battle of Kifangondo was a key confrontation during the Angolan War of Independence, which would eventually lead to Angola’s independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1975. It was part of a broader struggle for African liberation.

December 24, 1974

Guinea-Bissau achieves independence from Portugal

After years of armed struggle led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), Guinea-Bissau officially achieved independence from Portugal. This event marked the end of one of Africa’s longest anti-colonial wars.

December 24, 1999

Côte d'Ivoire experiences a military coup

On this day, a military coup led by General Robert Guéï overthrew the government of Côte d'Ivoire, marking the first coup in the country’s history and triggering a period of political instability that would affect the region.

December 24, 2008

Ugandan government and Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) sign a peace agreement

The Ugandan government and the LRA signed a peace agreement aimed at ending over two decades of conflict in northern Uganda. The war had caused significant suffering, displacing millions and creating long-lasting humanitarian crises.

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