7.13 By Rudra4 1900 90% of Africa was divided into colonies 1948 The South African government officially launches the system of apartheid, severely restricting the freedom of Black Africans. 1952 Nelson Mandela and Tambo opens the first Black legal firm in South Africa 1956 Nelson Mandela and Tambo opens the first Black legal firm in South Africa 1959 The parliament passed new laws extending racial segregation by creating separate bantustans or homelands, for South AFrica's major Black groups. 1960 Black protests against apartheid reached a peak when police killed 69 people in the Sharpeville Massacre 1962 Nelson Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment 1965 Rhodesia (South Africa) gained its independence. Only whites were represented in the new government 1974 South Africa is expelled from the U.N. because of apartheid 1976 More than 600 students were killed in Soweto and Sharpeville, known as the Soweto Massacre 1977 Steve Biko killed in police custody 1981 The Dumbutshena Report is commissioned by the government to investigate events surrounding the Entumbane uprising 1983 The government allows farmers to re-arm, to protect themselves from dissidents 1984 It is declared that since 1983, dissidents have murdered 120, mutilated 25, raped 47, and committed 284 robberies 1988 An amnesty is announced for all dissidents 1990 The state of emergency is not renewed 1990 The ban against the African National Congress is lifted 1990 Nelson Mandela is freed from prison 1991 Nelson Mandela becomes president of the ANC 1994 Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as President of South Africa