Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
Photo by Rob Mieremet, 1969 — Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 2008 South African singer Miriam Makeba, known worldwide as "Mama Africa," died in Italy after collapsing on stage during a concert.
Sources: South African History Online (SAHO) ; BBC Music
Death
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1731 Benjamin Banneker, the African-American mathematician, astronomer, and almanac author who helped survey the boundaries of Washington, D.C., was born.
Sources: White House Historical Association ; U.S. National Archives (Pieces of History blog)
BirthThe UN General Assembly passed resolutions condemning South Africa's apartheid government, declaring the white-minority regime "illegitimate."
Sources: United Nations ; African Activist Archive, Michigan State University
Politics