Twenty Nine years ago today, Bob Marley and the Wailers took the stage at Zimbabwe’s Independence Day ceremonies in Harare’s Rufaro Stadium. Prince Charles was on hand to witness the renaming of the former British colony Rhodesia and to see the British flag lowered for the last time, only to be replaced by the new Zimbabwean colors. Marley had declared solidarity with the African rebel forces on his 1979 album Survival in a song called “Zimbabwe” that he composed during an earlier trip to Ethiopia. “So arm in arms, with arms, we’ll fight this little struggle,” he sang—so it seemed fitting that he should make a joyful noise at the conclusion of said struggle. (more…)