Farouk I declares himself descendant of Prophet Muhammad

1906, A clash between Zulu warriors and British forces under Colonel Duncan McKenzie during the Bambatha rebellion leaves about 60 Zulus dead. The rebellion was as a result of a British colonial decision to increase its levy on the locals in order to put economic pressure on them.



1951, A 31 year old King Farouk of Egypt marries 17 year old Narriman Sadek. Sadek was the daughter of an Egyptian government official but was not from the royal family. She later bore the king his only son and heir, Ahmed Fuad (Fuad II), who would only occupy the throne for one year during his infancy following the military takeover of the country and the abolition of the monarchy in favour of a republic. She divorced the king after two years in exile due to his numerous extra marital affairs.

1952, Barely two months before his abdication which was forced on him by the military, Farouk I declares himself the direct descendent of Prophet Muhammad. He had previously declared himself the spiritual leader of all Muslims in the world.

1978, During the Namibian war of independence, the US severely criticizes South Africa, for allowing the SADF (South African Defense Force) to cross into Angola to engage in battle with the SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organization).

1981, Libyans are asked to leave the US, following a diplomatic row between Muamar Al Ghaddafi and the Ronald Reagan administration.

Emperor Haile Selassie enters Ethiopia after five years in exile

1865, African American politician Adam Clayton Powell Sr., was born on this day. Powwel was the first African American to be elected as a Congressman to represent New York; he was also the house representative for Harlem, New York in the US House of Representative.

1925,The Riff rebels led by Abdel Krim (Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi) engage in a fierce fight with French forces who were helping Spanish troops to quell the Moroccan rebellion against Spanish rule.

1936, Marshall Pietro Badoglio marches onto Addis Ababa following Italian defeat of Ethiopian troops at the battle of Ogaden a month earlier. Italy was accused of using illegal weapons including mustard bombs during the war.

1941, Emperor Haile Selassie leads an army of Ethiopian forces into Um Iddla, an Ethiopian village after being helped by Britain’s “Gideon Force” led by Colonel Orde Wingate to defeat Italian forces during the East Africa Campaign of WWII.


1953, Egyptian revolutionary forces abolish the 5,000 year monarchy in Egypt after taken control of the country from deposed king Farouk I.

1957, British actor, Author and Screen writer Richard E. Grant was born on this day in Mbabane, Swaziland. Grant’s father was an Afrikaner and his mother was a South African ballet teacher.

1988, Reverend Eugene Antonio Marino was named as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia. In this position, he became the first ever African American to be appointed by the Catholic Church as an Archbishop in the US.

The Freedom riders

1942, British and Allied forces take over Madagascar from the grips of Japanese and Vichy-French forces. The port of Madagascar was seen as a highly strategic point. Japan had the longest range submarines in those days, so it was considered a potential dangerous to allow her to continue to occupy Madagascar, as it had the capability of disrupting the Allied communication lines of Australia, the pacific and the Middle East regions. It took a little over three weeks before the final defeat of the Axis forces on Madagascan soil.



1961, the freedom riders initiate their protest against racial segregation on interstate buses in southern US. The group defied all the violence and threats in order to carry on with their ride which ended with a massive rally in New Orleans, Louisiana.



1978, South African Police engage in a firefight South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) guerrilla fighters, who had their bases in neighbouring Zambia and Angola in what was known at the Namibian war of independence. The war started as a result of Namibian discontent with South African occupation. The nation which was known as South Western Africa was occupied by South African forces after the defeat of Germany in WWI.

1984, During a mass by Pope John Paul II in Kinshasa, Zaire (D.R.Congo), more than half a dozen people are trampled to death by accident.

Italian dictator orders the settlement of Ethiopia

1900, General Lord Roberts (Robert of Kandahar) launches his “March on Pretoria” assault on the capital of the Transvaal state in South Africa during the second Boer war. Roberts who was on his second mission in South Africa He gained the accolade ”Robert of Kandahar” after his military successes in Kandahar during the British occupation of Afghanistan in the 19th century.

1933, African American singer, song writer, dancer and band leader James Joseph Brown, Jr. was born on this day at Barnwell, North Carolina. Brown was known throughout the world as the godfather of soul music.



1936, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini plans a massive settlement in conquered Ethiopia by declaring that about 400,000 Italians will be permitted to inhabit the new colony. His overall intention was however thwarted due to the international hostility he encountered by invading Ethiopia, a fellow League of Nations (predecessor to the UN) member.

1953, the seven year Mau Mau rebellion against British occupation in Kenya, enters its second year with the murders of 19 fellow Africans who the rebels accused of collaborating with the white colonialists.

1964, African American actor and TV director Frederick O'Neal becomes the first Black man to be elected as the president of the Actors Equity Association. O’Neal was also the founder of the Negro Theater in 1940.

1978, Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial became the first black mayor of New Orleans after winning being elected by popular vote, he was in office from 1978-1986. His son also served as mayor of the city from 1994-2002

1993, after a general referendum on independence, Eritrea is formally recognized as an independent nation on this day. In the years following independence Eritrea had engaged in a bitter cross border war with Ethiopia which only ended with a truce in 2000.

2nd May, Inventor Elijah McCoy was born 1844

1844, African Canadian engineer and inventor Elijah McCoy, was born on this day. McCoy later invented and obtained US patent number 129,843, for his automatic lubricator for oiling steam engines for boats and locomotives.

1920, Indianapolis ABC became the first black baseball team to win a league game after beating the Chicago Giants in the first ever national Negro league game.

1936, the Wafd party(Delegates Party), a nationalist party that had held influence in Egypt and played an important role in the withdrawal of Britain from Egypt, win about 90% of the free seats available in the parliamentary Elections. The party which was largely influenced by the ideas of Colonel Ahmed Urabi, an Egyptian army officer who later revolted against British rule in Egypt, was dissolved during the Egyptian revolution.

1939, three years after ascending the Egyptian throne on the death of his father, the 19 year old King Farouk I declares himself the spiritual leader of Islam .


1980, Pope John Paul II(born: Karol Józef Wojtyła) begun his tour of Africa in a bid to preach the message of peace and love throughout the continent. He was the second Pope after Pope Paul VI, to ever visit Africa.



1994, Results from the first ever multiracial elections in South Africa puts Nelson Mandela of the ANC (African National Congress)far ahead of all the other contestant.

1st May Howard University admits its first student in 1867

1905,During the height of European concern about the attrocities committed by men under the authority of Leopold II in the Congo free state, France supports Britains intention of invading the territory if the crimes continued. This threat as well as popular disconctent forced the Belgian parliament to take control of the Congo from Leopold II.



1915,Britain gives the Union of Souh Africa, the green light to occupy the German South West Africa(Namibia)during the the WWI.

1867,Howard University, one of the first Universities established for the purpse of educating African Americans, admit its first four student. Ironically these students happened to be whites and they were daughters of the founding fathers of the university. In the years that followed, up until now Howard University holds the distinction of producing the highest number of graduates of
African Amrican descent with advanced Degrees.

1950, African American writer and poet Gwendolyn Brooks becomes the first African American to win a Pultizer price for her book poetry entitled, Annie Allen.