African Liberation Day (African Day)2026 · Date · History · Messages
The official Government of The Gambia holiday list names May 25 as African Liberation Day (African Day).
About African Liberation Day (African Day)
African Liberation Day is observed on May 25 and has a direct documentary origin in the 1963 conference that founded the Organization of African Unity.
A resolution adopted by the First Conference of Independent African Heads of State and Government explicitly appointed May 25 as African Liberation Day; contemporary African Union material also treats May 25 as Africa Day, and The Gambia officially lists “African Liberation Day (African Day)” on that date.
Why African Liberation Day (African Day) matters
The 1963 resolution linked African Liberation Day to anti-colonial solidarity, public mobilization and support for African liberation movements.
Today, institutional language often uses Africa Day for the broader May 25 commemoration of the OAU’s founding, while some governments and African Union material still use “African Liberation Day.”
History of African Liberation Day (African Day)
From May 22 to 25, 1963, independent African heads of state and government met in Addis Ababa and established the Organization of African Unity.
In the conference’s decolonization resolution, item 13 appointed May 25 as African Liberation Day and described public demonstrations and support for the conference’s liberation agenda.
The African Union, successor to the OAU, continues to commemorate May 25 and in a 2020 statement explicitly titled the date “African Liberation Day” while also calling it Africa Day.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
African Liberation Day
How to Observe African Liberation Day (African Day)
Read the 1963 conference resolutions and the OAU/AU institutional history rather than relying only on later summaries.
Learn how different African countries describe May 25 today, since legal status and terminology are not identical across jurisdictions.
Explore decolonization history using sources from multiple countries and scholarly or archival institutions.
Keep historical descriptions distinct from present-day partisan claims or endorsements.
African Liberation Day (African Day) Facts
The 1963 conference resolution explicitly appointed May 25 as African Liberation Day.
The date coincides with the 1963 founding of the Organization of African Unity.
The African Union succeeded the OAU in 2002.
Contemporary AU material often uses “Africa Day” for May 25 while also preserving the “African Liberation Day” terminology in some statements.
The Government of The Gambia currently lists “African Liberation Day (African Day)” on May 25 in its official holiday list.
African Liberation Day (African Day) Messages
Mark May 25 by reading the original OAU resolutions and learning how African countries commemorate the date today.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
African Union archives — 1963 conference resolutions
African Union — 2020 African Liberation Day/Africa Day statement
Government of The Gambia — current holiday list
African Union — 1963 conference resolutions (opens in a new tab)
Intergovernmental Archive
African Union — 25 May African Liberation Day declaration (opens in a new tab)
Intergovernmental Current Observance
Government of The Gambia — Important Dates (opens in a new tab)
National Government
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is African Liberation Day (African Day)?
25 May in The Gambia official holiday list The documented recurrence rule is: 25 May in The Gambia official holiday framework.
Does African Liberation Day (African Day) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is African Liberation Day (African Day) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: The Gambia / official holiday-list terminology. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes African Liberation Day (African Day)?
The reviewed sources identify First Conference of Independent African Heads of State and Government as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is African Liberation Day (African Day) international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: The Gambia / official holiday-list terminology. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-28.
When is African Liberation Day?
It is observed on May 25.
Who established African Liberation Day?
The First Conference of Independent African Heads of State and Government explicitly appointed May 25 as African Liberation Day in a 1963 decolonization resolution.
Is African Liberation Day the same as Africa Day?
The terms overlap in contemporary usage. The African Union broadly commemorates May 25 as Africa Day, while some official sources still use “African Liberation Day,” including The Gambia’s holiday list.
Why May 25?
The 1963 conference appointed that date as African Liberation Day, and May 25 is also the date on which the OAU was founded.
Other observances on May 25
These observances are also listed on May 25, 2027.
Día de la Revolución de Mayo
Argentina’s national government identifies May 25 as Día de la Revolución de Mayo y Primer Gobierno Patrio and treats it as an immovable national holiday.
Geek Pride Day
Spanish press coverage documents May 25 as Día del Orgullo Friki/Geek Pride Day and traces the organized Spanish observance to 2006.
Independence Day
Jordan’s Prime Ministry preserves the 25 May 1946 independence declaration, while the Foreign Ministry independently lists May 25 as Independence Day among current public holidays.
International Skin Pigmentation Day
Bella Aurora first-party pages document International Skin Pigmentation Day on 25 May 2021 and call the 2022 campaign the second year running, supporting a 2021 first edition; a later regis…
National Bath Bomb Day
National Day Archives records May 25 of each calendar year and identifies Desert Bath Company as the 2021 creator; current calendar coverage preserves the same date.
World Football Day
A/RES/78/281