HOUSTON, TEXAS – (February 4, 2019) – The Ethiopian Community Organization in Houston (ECOH) will be celebrating the 123rd anniversary of the Victory of Adwa on March 2, 2019 at Thurgood Marshall High School, Missouri City, Texas.
The battle of Adwa, Adwa also spelled Adowa or Italian Adua, (March 1, 1896), is a major battle at Adwa, in north-central Ethiopia, between the Ethiopian army led by Emperor Menilek II and the invading Italian forces.
The Ethiopian army’s victory checked Italy’s attempt to build an empire in Africa. The victory had further significance for being the first crushing defeat of a European power by African forces during the colonial era. Ethiopia’s triumph at the battle of Adwa in 1896 over Italian colonial forces is regarded by many historians as a showcase of Ethiopia’s determination to remain independent and of its unwavering resolve to resist foreign aggression. The victory against the Italians gave not only a soothing comfort but also a riveted pride for black people at both ends of the Atlantic. In the later years, the Adwa victory would even become a rallying cry for black freedom as well as a source of Black Nationalist aspirations.
Thus, the anniversary offers all Ethiopians a unique opportunity for both reflection and reminiscence about the cherished legacy that our forefathers have passed on to us. As we celebrate this event, many of us are profoundly heartened by their patriotic zeal and enlivened by their bravery, knowing very well that they had given their lives in defense not only of our political independence but also our national identity and character. It is with a sense of personal gratification and jubilation that we celebrate the victory anniversary today.
About Ethiopian Community Organization in Houston (ECOH)
ECOH is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit community organization founded with a vision to create a strong, vibrant and united Ethiopian community that is socially and economically empowered and provides a lasting foundation for generations of Ethiopian- Americans to be successful and become active members of their community, integrated into the larger community in the Greater Houston Area while keeping their Ethiopian social and cultural heritages.
