1960 — The Republic of Congo Celebrates Independence

On August 15, 1960, the Republic of Congo declared independence from France, with Abbé Fulbert Youlou — a Catholic priest turned president — at its head. Brazzaville, once the capital of Free France during World War II, became the seat of a new nation, taking its place among the states born that remarkable year.

But Youlou's reign was brief: just three years later, the Trois Glorieuses uprising swept him from power. Still, August 15 endures as Congo's National Day, celebrated with parades along the river facing Kinshasa, the world's closest pair of capital cities, divided by water and joined by history.