CalEvents:Mar/Mar 7
From Sankofapedia
Notable events for March 7
Date
Event
Significance
March 7, 1965
"Bloody Sunday" in Selma, Alabama
On this day, civil rights activists attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, were brutally attacked by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The event, known as "Bloody Sunday," was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
March 7, 1957
Ghana becomes the first African nation to gain independence
On this day, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from British colonial rule. Led by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s independence inspired other African countries to seek freedom from colonial rule.
March 7, 1971
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gives speech calling for Bangladesh independence
On this day, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered a speech calling for the independence of Bangladesh. Though not directly related to African history, it had a profound effect on decolonization movements and post-colonial struggles worldwide, including in Africa.
March 7, 1994
Nelson Mandela elected as the first Black president of South Africa
On this day, Nelson Mandela was elected as the first Black president of South Africa in the country’s first fully democratic elections, marking the end of decades of apartheid and beginning a new chapter in South African history.
March 7, 2011
Protests in Egypt during the Arab Spring
On this day, mass protests continued in Egypt, part of the broader Arab Spring movement. The protests led to the ousting of long-time President Hosni Mubarak and had wide-reaching impacts across North Africa and the Middle East.
March 7, 2019
Protests in Algeria against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika
On this day, protests in Algeria intensified as demonstrators called for the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. These protests were part of the Hirak Movement, which eventually led to Bouteflika’s resignation after 20 years in power.