On May 25, 1963, thirty-two newly independent African nations came together to form the Organization of African Unity (OAU), marking a pivotal moment in the history of the continent. Africa Day, as it became known, symbolized not just political unity, but the promise of a future in which African countries would stand together against the …
Tag: postcolonialism
Chains Broken, Strings Attached: Cuba’s Complicated Independence
On May 20, 1902, the Cuban flag was raised over Havana, and the island officially became independent from U.S. military occupation. It should have been a moment of unambiguous freedom. After centuries of Spanish colonial rule and a costly war of liberation, Cuba was finally its own nation. Or so it seemed. In reality, Cuba’s …