The reign begins of ancient Roman Empire’s first African-born Emperor: Lucius Severus, who was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya). He will rule for seven years.

The Cairo fortification named Babylon falls to Arab forces seeking to conquer Egypt, which has been a Byzantine province. The garrison surrenders, allowing the Arab armies to advance on Alexandria, the capital of Egypt, which will fall in September 642.

Cecil Rhodes, the ambitious and ruthless businessman who sought to build an empire in Africa, is buried in Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), the colony that bears his name. The funeral procession leaves Drill Hall, under construction since Rhodes laid the corner stone last year. He will be honoured with statues throughout the British Empire. These will be demolished in the 21st century during the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign against the man who said of Africa, “We must find new lands from which we can easily obtain raw materials, and at the same time exploit the cheap slave labor that is available from the natives.”

The invading Italian army scores a major victory against the Ethiopian forces of Emperor Haile Selassie at Lake Ascianghi. However, to do so, Italy commits a war crime by using airplanes to drop on Ethiopian troops hundreds of tons of mustard gas, banned by Geneva Convention.

The Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire becomes the first successful independent African political party when it sweeps elections for representatives to France’s Constituent Assembly. Félix Houphouët-Boigny is the party’s leader.

In the country’s first election, Togo voters can only choose as President Sylvanius Olympio of the Party of Togolese Unity, which also wins all National Assembly seats. The other political parties are boycotting the election in protest of a national constitution. That constitution is being voted upon today in a referendum that will be approved.

Trial by jury is abolished in South Africa with the passage of the Abolition of Jury’s Act. South Africa only allows all-white juries, which legal reformers have argued are prejudicial against black people. The reform puts verdicts solely in the hands of judges, who follow apartheid laws of racial oppression that are unsparingly prejudicial against black defendants.

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The Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Witwatersrand is launched in South Africa. This Africa's the first gay rights group comprised of black members – working-class youth from urban townships.

The year democracy was established in South Africa, the number of black (African) students at universities stood at 148,817, up from 36,684 in 1984 during apartheid, reports the Johannesburg Star. This year, first-year black students at the University of Witwatersrand outnumber white students.

Niger’s military ruler, Ibrahim Baré MaÏnassara, who came to power in a coup d’état against Niger’s first democratically-elected president Mahamne Ousmane, is assassinated by his presidential guard.

The first X-Trapolis Mega electric passenger trains assembled in South Africa are displayed to the public. They will be used in South Africa’s railway system.