VOICES OF THE VANGUARD • VOLUME 1 • TRACK 7

Haile Selassie I

LEADERSHIP • UNITY • AFRICAN RENAISSANCE

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Meet Haile Selassie I

Haile Selassie was born Tafari Makonnen in Ethiopia in 1892. He became emperor in 1930 and pursued efforts to strengthen Ethiopia’s government, education, and international relationships. In 1935, Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia. Haile Selassie appealed to the League of Nations, warning that unchecked aggression threatened every nation, but international action failed to stop the occupation. He lived in exile until Ethiopian and Allied forces restored him in 1941. Haile Selassie later supported African cooperation and helped establish the Organization of African Unity in Addis Ababa in 1963. His reign also faced criticism over inequality, famine response, political restrictions, and the slow pace of reform. In 1974, a military government removed him from power, and he died the following year. Haile Selassie remains an influential and debated figure in Ethiopian, African, and global history. His life offers students a way to examine sovereignty, diplomacy, modernization, Pan-African cooperation, leadership, and accountability.

Listen For

• Ethiopian sovereignty
• Diplomacy and Pan-African cooperation
• The responsibilities and limits of leadership

Words to Know

Sovereignty • Diplomacy • Modernization • Accountability

Think About It

What responsibilities should national leaders have during crisis?

Keep Exploring

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