On this day 45 years ago, April 18, 1980, the Southern African country of Zimbabwe gained independence with the end of British colonial rule. These photos depict guerrillas of the Zimbabwe Peopleβs Revolutionary Army, one of the two main liberation movements that spearheaded the anti-colonial struggle.
Under British rule, Black Africans in Zimbabwe faced severe oppression, enduring apartheid-like conditions. They were denied access to essential services while being forced to work on farms and mines for minimal wages, all while their white oppressors enjoyed a life of luxury.
During the liberation war, ZIPRA and the ZANLA fought against colonial forces, ultimately compelling the white government to negotiate.
Rhodesia, later renamed Zimbabwe, was governed by Prime Minister Ian Smith, who once boasted that βwhite rule in Africa would last for 1,000 years.β However, the struggle of the Zimbabwean people led to independence in 1980, with Robert Mugabe becoming the countryβs first Black Prime Minister.
