In honor of the first sub-Saharan African nation to declare its independence from colonial rule, today’s Doodle highlights Ghana’s 63rd Independence Day. Announced at midnight on this day in 1957, Ghana’s freedom sparked a wave of decolonization throughout the African continent.
Much of what is now Ghana became part of the British Empire in 1874 and was renamed the “Gold Coast.” After over 70 years of colonial rule, the United Gold Coast Convention convened in 1947 to lay the groundwork for a successful independence movement. The new nation needed a new flag, and the pan-African colors of red, yellow, and green were selected, along with a prominent black star in the center, as depicted in the Doodle above. It was this star that earned the Ghanaian national football team the nickname, the “Black Stars.”
From Tamale in the north to the capital Accra in the south, Ghanians celebrate their freedom with street parties and parades. Not only confined within Ghana’s borders, expanding Ghanaian communities around the world enjoy in the revelry, as well.
Happy Independence Day, Ghana!
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