Ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie church, Gondar, Ethiopia. Photo: Rod Waddington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence · Source
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
A smallpox epidemic struck the Cape after arriving via contaminated ship linen, devastating the indigenous Khoisan population of the Cape Peninsula.
Sources: South African History Online ; eGGSA (Genealogical Society of South Africa) - South African Records Transcribed
History
CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons 2005 South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo won its second Grammy Award, for the album Raise Your Spirit Higher (Wenyukela).
Sources: CBS News ; Independent Online (IOL, South Africa) ; Ladysmith Black Mambazo (official site)
Culture
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1933 Paul Biya, who became the 2nd President of Cameroon, was born.
Sources: Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon ; Encyclopaedia Britannica
Birth
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1937 Ali El-Maak, Sudanese author and academic, was born.
Sources: American Public Media, The Writer's Almanac ; Comma Press
Birth
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1976 Murtala Mohammed, Nigeria's head of state, was assassinated in an attempted coup in Lagos.
Sources: Daily Trust ; The Guardian (Nigeria)
Corrected in September 2026 · see what changed
DeathCallistus Ndlovu, Zimbabwean academic and politician, died.
Sources: The Herald (Zimbabwe) ; ZimEye ; NewsDay Zimbabwe
DeathAt Fomena, after British troops had burned Kumasi, Sir Garnet Wolseley gave Asante envoys a peace treaty dated this day, demanding an indemnity of 50,000 ounces of gold. The draft came back marked for the Asantehene, Kofi Kakari, on March 13.
Sources: Internet Archive ; Internet Archive
Read the full article: Britain and Asante at War, 1824-1900
Colonial History