The Year of Africa: 17 Nations Gain Independence in 1960

In January 1960, as the world turned a new decade, a quiet prediction from a British colonial official set the tone for the months ahead. O. H. Morris of the British Ministry of Colonies observed that “1960 will be a year of Africa”—a phrase that would prove prophetic. Within weeks, the continent began to stir. In Algiers, barricades rose; in Cape Town, a British prime minister spoke of a “wind of change”; and in Brussels, officials gathered to negotiate the future of the Belgian Congo. The year would see seventeen African nations cast off colonial rule, a movement that would redraw the political map of the continent and send tremors through the United Nations. For those alive then, it was a season of immense hope and deep anxiety—a time when the future of Africa seemed both dazzling and uncertain.

What Happened?

1960, known as the Year of Africa, saw seventeen African countries declare independence. Of these, fourteen were former French colonies, two were from the British Empire, and one from Belgium. The wave began early in the year and continued through December, culminating in a dramatic reshaping of the continent’s political geography.

Key events unfolded alongside the independence declarations:

• January 9–11: Construction of the Aswan High Dam began in Egypt, a symbol of post-colonial development.
• January 21: A mine collapse at Coalbrook, South Africa, killed 437 men, one of the worst mining disasters in history.
• January 24: A major insurrection occurred in Algiers against French colonial policy, marking the start of the “Week of the Barricades.”
• February 3: British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan delivered his “Wind of Change” speech in Cape Town, signaling the end of the British Empire.
• February 10: A conference about the independence of the Belgian Congo began in Brussels.
• February 29–March 1: The Agadir earthquake struck Morocco, killing 12,000 and injuring 12,000 more.
• March 21: The Sharpeville massacre in South Africa left more than 69 dead and 300 wounded.
• April 16: Gunman David Pratt attacked South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, wounding him seriously.
• April 27: Togo became the first of the 1960 nations to gain independence, followed by others through the year.

The pace was unprecedented. Before 1950, only four countries in Africa were independent; six more gained independence in the 1950s. Then, in a single year, seventeen more followed, a wave that transformed the continent and its place in the world.

How It Was Seen at the Time

Contemporaries recognized the significance of 1960 almost immediately. The phrase “Year of Africa” was used by Ralph Bunche, the American diplomat and Nobel laureate, on 16 February 1960, who anticipated that many states would soon join the community of nations. The mood was one of optimism and expectation, but also of fear. As the sources note, the year brought “the culmination of African independence movements” but also “the beginning of armed opposition to South African apartheid government,” and the continent was beginning to face “the realities of post-colonial violence.”

“1960 will be a year of Africa.” — O. H. Morris, British Ministry of Colonies, January 1960

Harold Macmillan’s speech in Cape Town on 3 February captured the shift in colonial policy. He spoke of the “wind of change” blowing through the continent, and his words were seen as a signal that the British Empire was preparing to relinquish its African holdings. For Africans, the year was a time of hope and determination. As the CBC article notes, “Before 1950, there were just four independent countries in all of Africa. Six more would become independent in the 1950s. The peak would be in 1960, with 17 countries declaring their independence.” The mood was captured by a young Kenyan student, James Ngugi, who traveled from a white settler colony under a state of emergency to Uganda, which he found “nearly purely African, still a colony but with civil liberties and no war.”

Historical Snapshot

Timeline

• January 9–11: Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt.
• January 21: Coalbrook mine collapse kills 437 in South Africa.
• January 24: Insurrection in Algiers against French colonial policy.
• February 3: Harold Macmillan delivers “Wind of Change” speech in Cape Town.
• February 10: Brussels conference on Belgian Congo independence begins.
• February 29–March 1: Agadir earthquake destroys the city, killing 12,000.
• March 21: Sharpeville massacre in South Africa.
• April 16: David Pratt attacks South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd.
• April 27: Togo gains independence.
• Throughout 1960: 17 nations declare independence, including 14 French colonies, 2 British, and 1 Belgian.

Eyewitness Accounts

One of the most vivid contemporary accounts comes from James Ngugi (later known as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o), a Kenyan student who traveled to Uganda in 1959 to attend Makerere University. His description of the journey captures the contrast between the colonial world and the emerging Africa:

“The Kenya that James Ngugi was leaving was a white settler colony with a state of emergency in effect. War was happening, known as the Mau Mau Rebellion. The Uganda that he saw on arrival was nearly purely African, still a colony but with civil liberties and no war.”

Ngugi’s account, later recounted in the CBC’s 2010 retrospective, reflects the hope and the stark inequalities of the era. It also underscores the fact that independence was not a single event but a process that affected daily life and personal experience.

Different Perspectives

The Colonized

For many Africans, 1960 was a moment of triumph. The independence movements had been building for decades, and the end of colonial rule was seen as a victory for self-determination. The France 24 article notes that “Africans involved in pro-independence movements put pressure on colonial powers, reminding them of promises made to secure their support in the war effort.” The wave of independence was the culmination of these efforts.

The Colonizers

Colonial powers, particularly France and Britain, were more reluctant. The French colonial empire had been replaced by the French Union and then the French Community, but the pressure for full independence was irresistible. Harold Macmillan’s speech in Cape Town acknowledged the “wind of change” and called for a new relationship based on partnership. Yet the British were also concerned about the stability of their former colonies, as seen in the ongoing Mau Mau uprising and the Congo crisis.

The International Community

The United States and other powers, as the France 24 article notes, “chaperoned” the decolonization process, pushing colonial powers to let go. The emergence of 17 new nations in one year transformed the United Nations, giving Africa a significant new voice.

What People Feared

While many celebrated, there were also fears. The sources indicate that the year brought the beginning of armed opposition to the South African apartheid government, and the continent was facing “the realities of post-colonial violence.” The Sharpeville massacre in March 1960 was a stark reminder of the brutality that could accompany the transition. There were also anxieties about the stability of the newly independent nations—whether they could sustain self-government, avoid civil war, and manage their economies without colonial support. The Congo, in particular, would soon descend into chaos, fulfilling some of the worst fears.

How Historians See It Today

Historians now view 1960 as a pivotal turning point, but they also emphasize that the euphoria of independence was followed by a more complicated reality. The immediate post-independence years saw political instability, economic challenges, and in some cases, the rise of authoritarian regimes. The optimism of the “Year of Africa” was often tempered by the hard realities of nation-building. Scholars also note that the independence of 1960 was not a clean break; colonial legacies persisted in economic, political, and social structures. The term “Year of Africa” remains a powerful symbol, but historians today view it as a moment of transition rather than a final solution.

The Year of Africa was a watershed in world history. The primary sources from 1960—speeches, newspapers, and personal accounts—reveal a moment of extraordinary hope and anxiety. They show that the people of the time knew they were living through a turning point, even if they could not foresee all its consequences. The seventeen nations that gained independence in 1960 transformed the African continent and the world, and their story is a testament to the power of human aspiration and the complexity of decolonization.