1957 — Ghana Wins Independence

On March 6, 1957, the Gold Coast became Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African colony to win independence. At Accra's Old Polo Grounds, Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana free forever as thousands celebrated beneath the new red, gold, and green flag, in a night of joy long remembered.

The new nation united four territories under a name honoring the great medieval West African empire. Nkrumah tied its freedom to the total liberation of the continent, insisting that Ghana's independence meant little on its own. From Accra, a message went out across Africa: the age of colonial rule could end, and a free Africa could begin.