Copperbelt strike of 1935

The Copperbelt strike in May 1935 was a strike by African mineworkers in the Copperbelt (then in Northern Rhodesia, today called Zambia) to protest against unfair taxes imposed by the British colonial authorities. The strike involved three of the four great copper mines of the province, namely those of Mufulira, Nkana and Roan Antelope. Near the latter mine the strike ended in tragedy, where six protesters were killed by the police. After this the mineworkers decided to call off the strike, even though they had failed in their purpose. Nevertheless, this action remains important as the first organized industrial agitation in Northern Rhodesia and is viewed by some as the first overt action against colonial rule.