Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft (photographer Hilscher), Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1915 South African forces began an outflanking advance during the World War I campaign to seize German South-West Africa.
HistoryOn this day — July 20 in African history
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft (photographer Hilscher), Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1915 .jpg)
Rob Croes / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, Wikimedia Commons 1960 Oliver Tambo left South Africa on ANC instructions to build support abroad after the Sharpeville massacre crackdown.
Politics
Ian Barbour, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons South African President P.W. Botha declared a state of emergency in dozens of magisterial districts amid escalating unrest.
PoliticsThe League of Nations awarded the mandate for Togoland to France and Tanganyika to the United Kingdom.
PoliticsFrench forces broke the siege of Bizerte, ending days of fighting with Tunisian forces over the French naval base.
Conflict
Unknown author — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1925 Frantz Fanon, the Martinican-born psychiatrist and philosopher whose writings on colonialism and race profoundly shaped anti-colonial thought in Algeria and beyond, was born.
Birth
Tore Sætre — CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons 1940 Tony Allen, the Nigerian drummer who co-created the Afrobeat sound with Fela Kuti, was born in Lagos.
BirthSomali Airlines Flight 40 crashed in Balad, Somalia, killing 50 people.
Disaster