March 6: Independence Day in Ghana
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Ghana.
History Note
The Kingdom of Ghana flourished in West Africa from the 600s to the 1200s. This empire facilitated trade between the Arabs and Amazigh in North Africa and people who mined gold and harvested ivory on the southern coast of West Africa.
The Portuguese began establishing forts in West Africa in the 1400s, followed by the Dutch, Swedes, Danes, Germans, and British. The British eventually established a colony known as the Gold Coast in 1821.
In the 1950s, Kwame Nkrumah led a movement to establish an independent country. Taking its name from the historic kingdom in the region, Ghana became a separate nation on March 6, 1957. Ghana was the first African colony south of the Sahara Desert to gain its independence.
Today Ghana is a presidential republic with a population of 35 million people. Some 70% of its citizens belong to a Christian church. About 20% are Muslim and others follow traditional religions.
Lake Volta, formed by the construction of Akosombo Dam in 1965, is the largest artificial lake in the world by surface area.
The Black Star Gate is part of Independence Square in the capital of Accra, Ghana. Photo by Truba7113 / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This U.S. government newsreel looks at the founding of Ghana in 1957.
Learn more about Ghana at Homeschool History.
