The Triangular Slave Trade is now in its second century and is creating great wealth for northern U.S. merchants from the enslavement of Africans. The merchants send their products – rum, clothing, etc. – to Africa, and with some of the profits from these sales they purchase enslaved men, women and children, which they transport and sell to the sugar plantations in the Caribbean. In the final leg of the trade, the commodities produced by the enslaved Africans - sugar and molasses - are sent to the U.S. to manufacture rum, which is then exported anew to Africa to continue a system. Begun during the last century, the triangle trade will continue into the 19^th century.

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Heading a reform movement that will establish a new government in 1882, Ahmad ‘Urabi moves into the Khedivial Palace where the Ottoman Empire’s governors have been administrating Egypt. He has become the ipso facto ruler of Egypt. From a humble background, ‘Urabi is considered Egypt’s man of the people.

The Battle of Karonga brings World War I to Nyasaland (Malawi). German forces invading the British protectorate are driven back by the Nyasaland Volunteer Reserve (pic) and the British army.

The Kenyan port city Mombasa acquires a landmark when a pair of elephant tusk arches are mounted over the main dual carriage way (later named Moi Avenue). They are erected for a visit by Britain’s Princess Margaret, who arrives today. Made of wood and plaster, they will later be replaced by permanent aluminum arches.

The C.H. Mitchell Bridge is completed, connecting South Africa’s Eastern Cape and Natal Provinces. The second-longest single span bridge in the country, the important transportation link will be severely damaged, but repairable, in a 2002 bombing by a white separatist terror group, the Boeremag.

The 4th Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement concludes in Algiers, Algeria, overshadowed by a controversy about the presence of Cuban President Fidel Castro. Castro is not non-aligned, but is an ally of the Soviet Union and a supporter of African militant armies opposed to Western interests.

The world’s largest prefabricated building, constructed in Finland and assembled in Addis Ababa, opens as the new meeting place for Ethiopia’s parliament. The dedication of Shengo Hall is attended by Presidents Hassan Aptidon of Djibouti, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Kenneth Kuanda of Zambia.

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) decides in its Sitre Declaration to transform itself into the African Union. The decision is made at the OAU summit in Sitre, Libya.

Elections are held in the Tigray Region, which seeks autonomy from Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government bans media coverage, and refuses to recognise the votes of 2.7 million Tigray. The Arena Tigray political party and the Tigray Democratic Party boycott the election.