Emperor Haile Selassie was born on July 23, 1892. He led a successful revolution in 1916 against Lij Yasu; nevertheless, when the Italians invaded in 1936, the Ethiopian Army was easily overrun, and Selassie fled. The British recapture of Ethiopia in 1942 paved the way for Selassie's return to the throne. After regaining power, Selassie implemented extensive reforms and modernization.

In 1963, he helped found the Organization of African Unity, which established its headquarter's in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. In 1974, Selassie was overthrown by leftist army officers. He was later killed on the orders of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam of the "Derg" Marxist government.