The Global African Quad Flag was created by Kwaku, convenor of The African Or Black Question (TAOBQ) identity advocacy group. It was originally designed to illustrate a TAOBQ press release dated 1 September 2014, announcing that a motion had been carried declaring 31 August African History Reflection Day (AHRD).
The colours and concept
The flag brings together the four colours shared by the two principal Pan-African colour combinations:
- Green, gold and red — associated with the Ethiopian, Ghanaian and Rastafarian traditions.
- Red, black and green — associated with the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL).
In an age when logos and visual symbols are intended to communicate meaning instantly, the Global African Quad Flag is intended as a visual shorthand for Africans and African-related interests and issues, whether relating to people of the African continent or its Diaspora.
Its intended uses include expressing African pride, African unity and solidarity, as well as drawing attention to issues such as Afriphobia, atrocities against African people, or protests concerning African deaths in state custody.
Development of the flag
The flag was the subject of consultations at a number of TAOBQ-associated community events. These led to a decision to develop a “compromise” version, incorporating two black stripes to represent Africans from the continent and the Diaspora.
This configuration was officially launched on 18 November 2017, at the BTWSC/African Histories Revisited-organised African History Month UK Network Conference, held at Unite the Union's headquarters in Holborn, London.
At the “Marcus Garvey @ 80: Moving Towards A Unifying African Identity” meeting on 10 June 2020, a decision was subsequently taken to finalise the four-stripe configuration as the Global African Quad Flag.
Without replacing or diminishing the significance of the established Pan-African tricolours, the Quad Flag is intended as an additional unifying African visual symbol, capable of representing African pride, unity and solidarity across geographical and historical boundaries.
African History Reflection Day
The AHRD motion was passed during a presentation by Kwaku entitled “Marcus Garvey, Economic Empowerment And Relevance To Ghana”, held at the Ghana High Commission's Consulate in Highgate, north London. The presentation marked the centenary of the founding of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL).
The idea of AHRD was inspired by principles contained in the UNIA's Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World, adopted on 13 August 1920 at a UNIA convention in New York.
Further information
For more information, visit TAOBQ.blogspot.com or contact Kwaku at BBMBMC@gmail.com
Click here to read 'Global African Quad Flag: A Visual Signifier Of African-Related Matters'.
