After 1492

The cementing of the concept of shipmate and revolts on the slave ships. Popularized by the seizing of later slave ship, the Amistad.

1500-1900

Maroonage and the establishment of free communities all across the Americas, from Nanny and Tacky in Jamaica to Accabre in Guyana.

1600s

Quilombos – Pan African communities – fought against enslavement in Brazil and established free communities with three basic forms of active resistance by enslaved Africans. They fought constant battles with Portuguese enslavers, regularly attempted to seize power and conducted armed insurrections at plantations to gain freedom for all enslaved. Palmares was the Most Famous of these Pan African communities in what is now called Brazil.

1626-1628

Nzinga Ana de Sousa Mbande (c. 1583 – 17 December 1663) fighting wars against European slave traders 

1763

Berbice Revolution in what is now Guyana. Kofi and the struggle to develop a free and independent state in which they held power for more than a year and predated the Haitian revolution by decades. (see Blood on the River by Marjoleine Kars)

1757

Makandal Revolt in Haiti: prelude to Haitian Revolution and pivotal moment in the Global Pan African Movement

1787

Founding of Sierra Leone

1791

Revolt in San Dominque: a Pan African revolt with statements

1794

Richard Allen and the formation of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the first independent Black-African denomination in the US

1804

Victory of the revolution in the new Republic of Haiti, which overthrew slavery, colonialism and white supremacy. Revolutionary Haiti provided military and political support for Global Africans. Haiti provided assistance for freedom fighters in South America, especially Simon Bolivar. Any African landing in Haiti was also declared free.

1829

“David Walker’s Appeal” – calling for enslaved persons to revolt against their masters – is published in Boston Massachusetts

1831

Nat Turner revolt in the United States. The Christmas Rising/Baptist War in Jamaica was an uprising against slavery.

1848

Driven by revolt, abolition of slavery in French and Danish Caribbean

1804- 1884

Anti-Slavery struggles in all parts of the Americas. Calls for Reparations and Repatriation growing with important examples of repatriation including figures like Edward Blyden and Martin Delaney. Delany is credited with the Pan-African slogan of “Africa for Africans.”

1861-1865

Intense struggles of fighting against enslavement leading to war between states in the United States of America 

1863

Emancipation Proclamation is signed, abolishing slavery in the United States – Great moment for Pan Africanists everywhere

1868 – 1878

Ten Years War in Cuba, which resulted in emancipation of majority of the enslaved

1879

Battle of Isandlwana, the defeat of the first major British invasion of the Zulu Kingdom

1884-1885

Wars of Pacification all over Africa and the meeting of Europeans to consolidate Imperialism at the Berlin Conference: regulation of European colonies; the emergence of Germany as an imperial power.

1888

Driven by fear of enslaved uprising, abolition of slavery in Brazil.

1885-1920

Resistance to colonial rule with military struggles in all parts of Africa especially, the revolt of Menelik of Ethiopia in 1896, Yaa Asantewaa of Ghana in 1900, the Bambata Revolt in 1896, Queen Muhumusa of Nyabingi  and many others  such as  John Chilembwe in Nyassaland, Umar Al-Mukhtār in Libya

1897 – 1900

Henry Sylvester Williams creates the African Association in London, England in order to oppose imperial domination of Africa. 1900 The First Pan African Congress is convened and takes place in London in collaboration with Black intellectuals of different nations. Anna Julia Cooper the anti-lynching campaigner along with by Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois participated in this meeting.

1911

The First Universal Races Conference is held in London.

1912

Formation of the African National Congress of South Africa (signaled its Pan African orientation by admitting members from all over Southern Africa) 

1914

Marcus Garvey founds the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Jamaica. At its height the UNIA was the most vibrant Pan African organization on earth with over 4 million members in over 40 countries.

1915

Chilembwe uprising in Malawi

1919

Red summer

1920

The first UNIA convention adopts The Declaration of Rights of the Negro People of the World. Harlem in New York, USA emerged as the Center of Pan African politics, literature art and music. 

1921

The 2nd Pan African Congress takes place in several sessions, London, Paris and Brussels. (very small affairs compared to the UNIA mass outreach).

1923

The 3rd Pan African Congress takes place in sessions in London and Lisbon.

1927

1927 – In New York, a 4th Pan African Congress takes place with few representatives.

1920’s

1920’s – Simon Kimbangu founded the Kimbanguist church. A major Pan African force in Central Africa 

1929

1929 – Women’s revolt and uprising in Nigeria 

1930-1935

Emergence of the Rastafari as a major Pan African force internationally

1935

Italian invasion of Abyssinia led to a global Pan African response with demonstrations, protests and petitions in all parts of Global Africa. Major Pan African writings from the International African Service Bureau (IASB) powered by George Padmore and C.L.R. James and the Council on African Affairs powered by Paul Robeson who served as the CAA’s chairman for most of its existence while W.E.B. Du Bois served as vice-chair and head of the Africa Aid Committee and Alphaeus Hunton, Jr as Executive Director.

1945

The 5th Pan African Congress in Manchester England. Political representatives of Africa and the West Indies are in attendance and urge to end colonialism in Africa. Most important mobilization of ex-soldiers fighting against colonialism.

1945-1951

Pan African Uprisings and resistance of workers in all parts of Global Africa

1948

In response to massive anti colonial upsurge the policy of Apartheid is adopted in South Africa (for the next forty years a major focus of the Global African struggles for freedom).

1952

Kwame Nkrumah becomes Prime Minister of Ghana, and Ghana becomes independent by 1957

1950 – 1960

Mass opposition to colonial rule with the outbreak of armed struggles for independence in Algeria and Kenya 

1955

Bandung Conference and a major platform for Pan African solidarity and Third World Solidarity

1956

First International Congress of Black Writers and Artists was held at the Sorbonne, in Paris, from September 19 to 22, 1956

1957

First Pan African Women’s Association is formulated

1958

Clumsy and contradictory retreat of France from Africa 

1958

All African peoples Conference held in Ghana. Patrice Lumumba introduced to the wider Pan African world.

1960

Massive anti racist and anti-colonial struggles in all parts of Global Africa. Many countries accede to independent status. The Belgians launch the destabilization of the Congo and by 1961 Patrice Lumumba is killed in the Congo.

1963

Creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Ethiopia with Pan African vision to promote unity and solidarity of African states.

1966

The imperial inspired Coup d etat to overthrow Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana

1966

First World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture in Dakar , Senegal

1967

The launch of the Arusha Declaration in Tanzania 

1968

Black Writers Conference in Montreal Canada

1972

The African Liberation Support Committee (ALSC) in North America and the Caribbean coalesce to support liberation and struggles against racism globally.

1974

April Overthrown of Portuguese fascist colonial rule in Africa (open possibilities for independence of Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Mozambique)

1974

The 6th Pan African Congress is held in Tanzania and attended by 52 delegations from Africa, the West Indies, America, and the Pacific.

1973

Major non-aligned meeting to support African Liberation

1977

Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) held in Nigeria

1979-1980

Intensified struggles against settler colonialism. Independence of Zimbabwe. Bob Marley’s dramatic intervention in the Independence celebrations in Zimbabwe in April 1980

1980

OAU launches the Lagos Plan of Action to hasten African Unity. (World Bank responds with the Berg Report)

1980

Revolts across the Caribbean after Walter Rodney is assassinated in Guyana.

1988

Military defeat of the apartheid army at Cuito Cuanavale in Angola by the freedom fighters and Cuban internationalist forces.

1990

Namibia becomes independent. Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. ANC and PAC unbanned.

1991

Abuja Treaty was signed in Nigeria in order to achieve full continental economic development.

1994

The 7th Pan African Congress takes place in Kampala, Uganda.

1994

Nelson Mandela becomes president of South Africa.

1999

Sirte Declaration with plans for the transition from the OAU to African Union

2001

Third World Conference against Racism (WCAR) in Durban, South Africa. Major coming together of the Reparations Campaign of Global Africa.

2002

African Union officially launches, in order to refocus attention on increased cooperation of African states to promote the development.

2007

Celebration of 50th anniversary of Ghana independence and plans to accelerate the unification of Africa

2011

NATO invasion of Libya and the assassination of President Muamar Gaddafi

2015

African Union signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pan African Movement

2015-2016

Launch of the Black Lives Matter Movement internationally, before the lynching of George Floyd in 2020

2017

Second Kwame Cultural and Intellectual Festival – Accra Ghana