Which African capital contains Independence Square, also called Black Star Square? Accra. Independence Square, widely known as Black Star Square, is a major public and ceremonial space in Accra, Ghana’s capital. It commemorates Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule and remains a principal venue for national parades and state gatherings.
Ghana became independent on 6 March 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah, the country’s first prime minister and later president. Nkrumah commissioned a monumental civic complex to express the new nation’s identity. The square was completed in 1961, around the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s state visit to Ghana, and includes the Independence Arch, the Black Star Gate, and the Liberation Day Monument.
The black star is a Ghanaian and pan-African symbol associated with freedom and African self-determination. The square’s broad parade ground has hosted independence celebrations, military ceremonies, festivals, state funerals, and major public welcomes.
A frequent mix-up is to identify the location as a separate Ghanaian city. It is in central Accra, near the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park; the names Independence Square and Black Star Square refer to the same civic landmark.