The first Tripolitian War is underway between the Barbary Coast States (Algeria, Libya) and the U.S. and its European allies seeking an end to Barbary Coast piracy of ships on the Mediterranean Sea. This morning sees a sea and land assault on Derna, Tripoli’s port.

The slave trade is abolished in France’s African colonies. Nevertheless, slavery will continue into the 20th century in some places.

England’s Imperial Airways opens its London to Cape Town mail service to passengers. Because of multiple stops, flying from one city to the other takes 10 days.

Togo achieves national independence, from France. The capital is Lomé. The national population is 1,581,000.

A constitutional referendum concludes with Ghana becoming a republic. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II ceases to be the country’s sovereign, and Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah becomes Ghana’s first president. Ghana remains part of the British-led Commonwealth of Nations. Ghana’s High Commissioner to the U.K. Edward Asafu-Adjaye arrives at Buckingham Palace in London in a horse-drawn carriage to present his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II.

Sierra Leone achieves national independence, from Britain. The capital is Freetown. The national population is 2,318,000.

On the second anniversary of Togo’s Independence from France on 27 April 1960, the Monument de L'independence is opened. Placed in the heart of Lomé, the artwork features a large silhouette of a powerfully-built man breaking free behind a sculpture of a woman lifting an offering.

Stone cutters have begun work on the two Abu Simbel temples carved into solid rock in Egypt. Built by Pharaoh Ramses II during his reign (1279-1213 BC) to commemorate his victory in the battle of Qadesh – one temple for himself and one for his wife Nefertiti – they must be relocated to avoid submersion by Nile River water when the area is flooded by the Aswan Dam.

Most African airports outside of major cities remain landing strips of compacted earth. At Kilwa airport in Tanganyika, the ever-present danger of unpaved runways turned tragic when the wheels of a landing passenger plane got caught in the soft earth beside the runway, causing the propeller to strike the ground. The impact caused the propeller to spin off the engine and slice into the cockpit, killing the pilot Captain Gene Brokensha.

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South Africa’s apartheid government creates the Internal Security Act, which limits the activities of dissenters by outlawing all gatherings of more than 20 people without prior approval from a magistrate.

Future South African president Thabo Mbeki (in pic left with future South African president Jacob Zuma) returns to the country after 25 years of exile. Returning also is Joe Slovo, head of the South African Community Party, also after a 25-year exile.

After 46 years of apartheid under National Party Rule and 300 years of colonial occupation of South Africa, the first democratic, multi-party elections are held. Lines of voters standing peacefully in kilometer-long queues impress and bring praise worldwide. The event is such a milestone in South African history that April 27 will be declared an annual public holiday, called Freedom Day. South Africa’s interim constitution goes into effect today, and the new South African national flag is raised.

Mauritania, one of the few countries in the world where atheism is a crime punishable by death, a new law expands the death penalty further to include those convicted of “sacrilege” and “offending public indecency.” Although Mauritania is the last country in the world to officially ban slavery, its government is indifferent to actually ending human enslavement, and up to 20% of the population lives in slavery.