Battle of Adwa Celebration

You are invited to celebrate the 122nd anniversary of the victory of the Battle of Adwa with us!

You'll get a chance to hear from special guests Professor Paulos Milkias from Concordia University & Professor Chuck Schaefer from Valparaiso University as they speak about the historic battle.  

In 1896, Ethiopia was the last free nation in continental Africa that was never colonized. By securing a decisive victory at the Battle of Adwa against the Italian colonial army, Ethiopia became the First African Nation to ever win a major battle over a powerful European colonial power.

The Battle of Adwa, known as "The Greatest Colonial Battle in Modern Times," took place at the dawn of Sunday, March 1, 1896 proximate to the over 3,000 year old, "Holy City" of Axum. It was 122 years ago that Emperor Menelik II, Empress Taitu and thousands of Ethiopian warriors (men and women) scored a brilliant victory; and preserved thousands of years of Ethiopian sovereignty and independence for posterity. The Ethiopian Victory at Adwa instilled an enduring national pride in the hearts of Ethiopians and Blacks throughout the colonized world; it also inspired hopes and dreams of liberation from oppressive European colonizers and strengthened the bond between Ethiopia and the African Diaspora.

The Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago invites everyone to celebrate this monumental victory. The purpose of this celebration is to preserve and promote ancient and modern Ethiopian history and to inspire the youth of Ethiopian and African descent to learn about and celebrate their glorious heritages.