Black January

Black January was the Soviet military’s violent suppression of Azerbaijani independence demonstrations in Baku on January 19–20, 1990, killing more than 100 civilians. The crackdown became a turning point in Azerbaijan’s movement toward independence.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: A conflict between Armenians and Azerbaijanis over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh and its political status. The dispute intensified Azerbaijani protests and sharpened tensions before Soviet troops entered Baku.
Soviet Army: The armed forces of the Soviet Union, responsible for defending its territory and enforcing state power. Soviet Army units entered Baku and used lethal force against civilians and demonstrators.
Azerbaijan: A country in the South Caucasus on the Caspian Sea, formerly a Soviet republic. The crackdown became a defining event in the country’s modern national history.
January 20 Martyrs' Memorial: A memorial in Baku commemorating those killed during Black January and other struggles for Azerbaijan. It gives the victims a prominent public memorial distinct from their burial ground.
Azerbaijani Popular Front: A national movement founded in 1989 that mobilized support for Azerbaijani sovereignty and political reform. Its demonstrations and growing challenge to Soviet rule formed the immediate political backdrop.
Curfew: A government order restricting movement in public places during specified hours. A curfew was imposed as troops moved into Baku, limiting civilian movement and access to information.
Azerbaijani independence movement: The political movement that sought to end Soviet rule and establish an independent Azerbaijani state. Public anger after the killings strengthened demands for sovereignty and independence.
Black January in Azerbaijani art: Artistic works in Azerbaijan that depict or commemorate the January 1990 killings in Baku. Artists turned the crackdown into a lasting subject of national remembrance.
Sumgait pogrom: A series of anti-Armenian attacks in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, in February 1988, killing dozens of people. The violence deepened Armenian-Azerbaijani antagonism that later fueled unrest in Baku.
Censorship in the Soviet Union: State control over publishing, broadcasting, and other forms of public communication in the Soviet Union. Authorities cut communications and restricted reporting as the operation began.

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