TIMELINE: July Historic Events
In JULY, RasTafari TV ignites centuries of unstoppable legacy—from Solomonic kings to global freedom fighters.
Global emancipation pulses through July. This July, RasTafari TV invites you to honor these legacies—share your ‘Earthstrong’ moments. Celebrate ancestral kings, bold queens, liberation heroes… your voice continues their journey.
From Empress Menen’s nursing halls to Haile Selassie’s constitutional palace, July echoes with Black excellence. Globally, these threads unite—linking Solomonic divinity, anti‑slavery triumphs, educational empowerment, and trans‑Atlantic solidarity.
JULY 1, 1863: Keti Koti, meaning “broken chains” in Sranantongo, is a significant day that marks the abolition of slavery in Suriname and the Dutch Antilles
On JULY 1, 1865: Crown Prince Menelik—later Emperor Menelik II—escaped British‑occupied Magdala with the aid of Queen Werqitu and loyal generals like Dejazmach Garmame. He fled to Shewa, evading Tewodros II’s wrath and reclaiming his birthright. This daring escape reshaped Ethiopian destiny.
JULY 4, 1827: On this symbolic day of independence, New York took a bold step toward justice by officially abolishing slavery within the state. Though freedom was still denied to many across the nation, this milestone marked a powerful shift in America’s conscience and became a beacon of hope for the ongoing fight for liberation and equality.
July 5, 1852 – Frederick Douglass Speaks Truth to Power
In Rochester, New York. Frederick Douglass delivered his searing speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”—a fiery indictment of American hypocrisy. With unflinching clarity. Douglass exposed the injustice of celebrating freedom in a nation that still enslaved millions, igniting a powerful call for conscience, courage, and true liberation.
On July 7, 1947, Empress Menen: Uplifting Nurses, Uplifting a Nation.
Empress Menen championed the elevation of nurses across Ethiopia, advancing women’s leadership in healthcare and nation-building. Her vision planted seeds of resilience, compassion, and empowerment—nurturing a legacy where healing and female strength became pillars of Ethiopia’s progress.
July 10, 1875: Birth of Mary McLeod Bethune.
Born to formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune rose to become a fearless educator, advisor, and civil rights leader. Her legacy as the founder of Bethune-Cookman University and advocate for Black advancement continues to inspire generations in the fight for equality and empowerment through education.
JULY 23–25, 1900: the First Pan‑African Conference in London—W.E.B. Du Bois and global leaders unite for liberation justice.
JULY 23, 2014 RasTafari TV Network Celebrate Our 11 Year Anniversary. From a spark in 2014 to a global fire in 2025—RasTafari TV Network has been the voice of the culture, the keeper of the legacy, and the light for the people. For 11 years, we’ve connected the diaspora, preserved ancient wisdom, and uplifted voices often left unheard. This is your celebration. Your story. Your network. 11 years strong—and we’re just getting started.
July 23, 1892 is not just a date. It’s a vibration. A calling, divine promise.
In 1892, in the sacred city of Harar, a child is born—Tafari Makonnen. Globally, Rastafari communities mark this as his Divine ‘Earthstrong.’
This prophetic child who would carry the crown of David, the Lion of Judah, the torchbearer of an ancient lineage stretching from Solomon to Sheba.
This is not mythology. This is legacy. Livity. Law.
Tafari would become His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I—Power of the Trinity. He was the 225th descendant of King David of the Solomonic Dynasty who became the Emperor of Ethiopia. His Imperial Majesty was an Architect of Africa’s resistance and a voice of the voiceless at the League of Nations. He was known as the Father of Africa.
To the Rastafari community, he is not merely remembered… he is revered. His Earthstrong is a holy day—a spiritual awakening. From Jamaica to Johannesburg, Kingston to Kemet— Drums echo. Smoke rises. Psalms chant.
Why?
Because his birth was more than an arrival. It was a reminder: Dignity is not granted. It is inherent.
Divinity is not distant. It is within.
So today, we rise. In music. In chanting. In prayer. In purpose.
We chant down Babylon. We lift up Zion. We honor the Earthstrong of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I.
