Black Star Square, also known as Independence Square, is a

public square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...

Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

, bordered by the

Accra Sports Stadium The Accra Sports Stadium, formerly named the Ohene Djan Stadium, is a multi-use stadium (40,000-capacity, all-seater) located in Accra. Ghana, mostly used for association football matches. It is also used for rugby union. Overview The stadium was ...

and the

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and memorial park is located in downtown Accra, the capital of Ghana. History It is dedicated to the prominent Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghan ...

. The square often hosts the annual independence celebrations as well as other national events. It is currently the site for all civic and military parades in Ghana. It was completed in the year 1961, which coincided with the state visit of Queen Elizabeth's II to Ghana. The Black Star Square is sited between The 28th February Road and The Accra's Southern Coastline.

History

In 1957, Kwame Nkrumah became the first prime minister and president of Gold Coast, now Ghana after gaining independence from the British.

Kwame Nkrumah Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. An in ...

commissioned the construction of the square to celebrate the nation's independence. It coincided with the visit of

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

. Construction ended in 1961, and it was named Black Star Square.

was the one who led

, formerly

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

to gain Independence from Britain.

Importance

Black Star Square is a site for Ghana's Independence Day parade, which falls on the 6th of March every year. A particularly notable parade was the Golden Jubilee, which was Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence from British colonial rule. The Golden Jubilee celebration occurred on March 6, 2007 and it was led by President John Kuffour. It also hosts all major national public gatherings and national festivals. Every visitor is free to take pictures of buildings, including the Black Star Gate.

Structure

In Independence Square are stands that can seat 30,000 people. The square boasts three monuments that encapsulate the fight for independence and liberation. This includes the

Independence Arch The Independence Arch in Accra, Ghana, is part of the Independence Square which contains monuments to Ghana's independence struggle, including the Independence Arch, Black Star Gate, and the Liberation Day Monument Liberation Day monument is a ...

, the

Liberation Day Monument Liberation Day monument is a monument in Accra, Ghana. It stands in honour of several veterans of the Burma campaign conducted during the Second World War by Commonwealth forces in which the veterans fought for the British Empire. After returning ...

, and the

Black Star Gate The Black Star Gate is part of the Independence Square now known as the Black Star Square in Accra. It is located at the center of the Square where parades are held. The Black Star Gate is a monument topped by the Black Star of Africa. The five-po ...

, also known as the Black Star Monument. A statue of a soldier facing the Independence Arch symbolizes the Ghanaians who lost their lives fighting for Ghana's independence.

Major Events

* On March 24, 1998, over 500,000 people gathered at the square to welcome former U.S. President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

and his wife,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

. This event marked the first U.S. president to visit Ghana. * On August 10, 2012, the state funeral of late President

John Atta Mills John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills (21 July 1944 – 24 July 2012) was a Ghanaian politician and legal scholar who served as President of Ghana from 2009 until his death in 2012. He was inaugurated on 7 January 2009, having defeated the governing party ...

was held at the square. * On November 18, 2012, the state funeral the late former Vice-President

Aliu Mahama Alhaji Aliu Mahama (3 March 1946 – 16 November 2012) was a Ghanaian engineer and politician who was Vice-President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. A member of the New Patriotic Party, he was Ghana's first Muslim Vice-Preside ...

was held at the square. * On January 27, 2021, the state funeral of late former President

Jerry Rawlings Jerry John Rawlings (22 June 194712 November 2020) was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who led the country for a brief period in 1979, and then from 1981 to 2001. He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the de ...

took place at the square.

References

External links

{{coord, 5.5476, -0.1926, type:landmark_region:GH, display=title Squares in Ghana National squares Accra Independence Kwame Nkrumah