Happy Independence Day, Guinea-Bissau! September 24th
Independence Day is a public holiday in Guinea-Bissau, observed annually on September 24th. This is Guinea-Bissau's National Day, commemorating the unilateral declaration of independence from Portugal on September 24, 1973.
WAELE AFRICA Foundation extends its warmest congratulations to the people of Guinea-Bissau on the anniversary of their Independence Day. We wish the nation continued peace, prosperity, and happiness in the years to come.
A History of Independence Day
The first European to reach this part of West Africa was the Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto, who arrived in 1455 as part of a Portuguese expedition. Portugal established trading posts along the coast in the 16th century, primarily for the slave trade. However, significant colonial efforts in the interior didn't begin until the 19th century. The entire country was brought under Portuguese control in 1915.
Previously administered as part of the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands, Guinea-Bissau became the separate colony of Portuguese Guinea in 1879. In 1956, Amílcar Cabral established the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Initially pursuing independence through peaceful means, the PAIGC launched a military campaign in 1963 after growing disillusionment with Portugal's response to local demonstrations.
By 1973, the PAIGC controlled roughly two-thirds of the country. Despite Cabral's assassination in January 1973, Guinea-Bissau declared its independence on September 24, 1973.
This, along with other revolutionary movements in Portuguese territories, contributed to the Carnation Revolution in Portugal in April 1974, which overthrew the dictatorship. The new Portuguese government then engaged in discussions with overseas territories, leading to the formal recognition of Guinea-Bissau's independence on September 10, 1974. Luis Cabral, Amílcar Cabral's brother, became the first president.
Did you know?
* The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau. The name was added to the country's name to distinguish it from nearby Guinea and Equatorial Guinea.
* Residents are referred to as "Bissau-Guineans," not "Guinea-Bissauans."
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