The Decolonization of Africa

Abstract

The declaration of principles by Churchill and Roosevelt in the Atlantic Charter in 1941, with its promise of self-determination and self-government for all, heralded the end of European colonialism in Africa.¹ As the Second World War progressed, a new generation of black leaders intent on securing self-rule emerged out of the native resistance movements. Among them were Kwame Nkrumah (1909–72) of the Gold Coast, Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906–2001) of Senegal, Jomo Kenyatta (1891–1978) of Kenya, Ahmed Sékou Touré (1922–84) of Guinea, Patrice Lumumba (1925–61) of the Belgian Congo (Zaire), Kenneth Kaunda (b. 1924-) of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Julius Nyerere (1922–99) of Tanganyika. Britain’s granting of independence to India in 1947, coupled with Dutch and French defeats in Asia, further strengthened the movement for African independence.