9 6 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Rome , ▁Eth iop ian ▁runner ▁Ab eb e ▁B ik ila ▁won ▁the ▁mar athon ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Black ▁African ▁to ▁receive ▁an ▁Olympic ▁Gold ▁Medal . ▁His ▁achiev ement ▁intens ified ▁African ▁pride ▁and ▁global ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁continent . ▁ ▁Imp lications ▁and ▁legacy ▁ ▁The ▁Year ▁of ▁Africa ▁alter ed ▁the ▁symbol ic ▁status ▁of ▁Afr icans ▁world wide , ▁by ▁having ▁the ▁world ▁recognize ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁African ▁nations ▁as ▁a ▁force ▁to ▁be ▁reck oned ▁with ▁on ▁the ▁international ▁ar ena . ▁It ▁marked ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁a ▁new , ▁more ▁Af ro cent ric ▁era ▁in ▁African ▁studies , ▁marked ▁by ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁C ah iers ▁d ' Ét udes ▁a fr ic aines ▁and ▁the ▁Journal ▁of ▁African ▁History . ▁ ▁The ▁Year ▁of ▁Africa ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁boost ▁for ▁African ▁Americans , ▁themselves ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Mov ement ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Baltimore ▁Af ro - American , ▁confident ▁that ▁sit - ins ▁would ▁defeat ▁seg reg ation ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁United ▁States , ▁editor ial ized : ▁" The ▁' w inds ▁of ▁change ' ▁which ▁are ▁swe eping ▁over ▁Africa , ▁are ▁blow ing ▁in ▁the ▁ben ight ed ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁too ." ▁Professor ▁James ▁H . ▁Mer iw ether , ▁looking ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁Year ▁of ▁Africa , ▁writes : ▁" The ▁events ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁strength ened ▁links ▁between