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The Nationalist Party won the election in 1948, in South Africa. The party passed a series of laws that allowed for legalized racism. -
A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race in South Africa.
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With these laws, all African men over 16 had to carry a “reference book” containing personal information and employment history. -
In South African cities people were performing acts of defiance and were disobeying the unfair laws. This protest was the first organized one after the laws had been passed and the ANC led it in opposition to Apartheid. Mandela helped in this resistance movement. -
Close to 20,000 women marched to the Union buildings in Pretoria to protest the legislation. This helped show the need for women's rights and that the women were against the pass laws. -
Areas in South Africa were set aside for Blacks and ethnic groups that were not white. The white leaders of South Africa wanted to be completely separated from the black people of South Africa. They didn't view them as citizens and took their citizenship away. -
The PAC led a campaign of blacks to surrender themselves for arrest which led to small clashes and then the police firing, killing and wounding many. The people were peacefully protesting and were shot at. Around 250 people were either injured or killed. -
In 1961, Nelson Mandela co-founded and became the first leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”). -
Mandela and others were sent to prison for their actions against the Apartheid leaders. -
Oliver Tambo introduced a campaign to try and free Nelson Mandela. -
President F. W. de Clerk lifted the ban on the African National Conference and wanted South Africa to no longer be divided by racism. He called for Mandela to be released and he was. -
Mandela was elected the first black president of South Africa.