1919-1939 History of West Africa Independence
since 1965





Stamps issued by the British Postal Administration for Gambia



The Gambia, 1939-1965



Gambian regiments served in World War II, a.o. on the Burmese front. From 1945 onward, the British administration undertook efforts to develop the colony; Bathurst got a modern port, a sewage system, paved roads. A Teachers' Training College was established. Political parties were founded 1951-1954. The 1954 constitution foresaw elected members in the Legislative Council. The 1960 constitution granted the voting ight to all adults.
Britain regarded colonies such as Malta and The Gambia as too small to be released into independence, and was reluctant to grant the latter. The Gambia got another constitution in 1962, got self-government in 1963, full independence (and yet another constitution) in 1965.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		History of the Gambia, from Infoplease
Banjul, from Infoplease
DOCUMENTS Flag of British Gambia, from FOTW
REFERENCE Chapter 36 : Introduction to British West Africa, pp.735-745, in : John Gunther, Inside Africa, NY : Harper & Bros. (1953) 1955 [G]
Article : British West Africa, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1944 pp.131-132, 1945 pp.129-130, 1946 pp.151-152, 1947 pp.154-155, 1948 pp.142-143, 1949 pp.126-128, 1950 pp.130-131, 1951 pp.126-127, 1952 pp.125-126, 1953 pp.125-126, 1954 pp.125-127, 1955 pp.184-185, 1956 pp.123-124 [G]
Article : Gambia, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1957 p.350, 1958 p.285, 1959 pp.283-284, 1960 p.280, 1961 p.290, 1962 p.283, 1963 p.398 [G]
Article : Colonies and Dependent Territories, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1964 pp.265-268 [G]
Article : Colonies and Other Dependencies, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1965 p.252 [G]
Article : West Africa : Gambia, in : Statesman's Year Book 1943 pp.245-246 [G]
Article : Gambia, in : Americana Annual 1940 pp.326-327, 1943 p.310, 1944 pp.297-298 [G]
Article : British West Africa, in : Americana Annual 1945 pp.117-119, 1946 pp.126-129, 1947 pp.103-104 [G]
Article : British West Africa - Gambia, in : Americana Annual 1957 pp.105-108 [G]
Article : Gambia, in : Americana Annual 1962 p.294, 1963 p.270, 1964 pp.267-268 [G]
Article : Commonwealth of Nations - Gambia, in : Americana Annual 1965 pp.183-185 [G]
Article : Gambia, in : New International Year Book Events of 1941 p.229, 1942 p.272, 1943 p.232, 1944 p.244 [G]
Article : British West Africa - Gambia, in : New International Year Book 1945 pp.86-87 [G]
Article : Gambia, in : Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Encyclopedia Year Book 1946 p.188, 1952 p.175 [G]



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on August 25th 2007

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