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Act of Union
South Africa became a unified state within the British Empire. It combined four British colonies as separate provinces withing the new state: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Black people could not vote. -
SANNC Founded
The Native National Congress was founded, later renamed the African National Congress (ANC). It's vision was to unite Africans and to secure their right to vote. -
ANC Youth League
ANC Youth League Manifesto urged new militant African leaders to wage a more vigorous campaign against racial discrimination. Its leaders are Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo. -
NP Wins The General Election
The United Party Commissions the Fagan Report, which recommends gradual integration of the races. The National Party commissions the Sauer Report, which recommends a policy of apartheid. -
The ANC Youth League Programme of Action
In 1944, Nelson Mandela and other young nationalists created the
ANC Youth League. -
Stock Limitation Act
This law was presented by the state as a device for land betterment but its practical significance forced removal or slaughter of cattle belonging to african reservist. -
Population Registration Act
This law required that every person be classified within a hierarchy specified as white, colored, Asian or Bantu (black African). -
Group Areas Act
This law formally divided South Africa up into territories where the different race groups had to live. -
Bantu Authorities Act
This act divided territories designated for blacks into different homelands based upon 10 tribal groupings and it stripped blacks of their participation rights. -
May Day Strike (SACP)
The ANC, SACP, ACPO co-ordinate a May Day strike. The police opened fire on the protesters killing 19 and
wounding 30 people. -
National Day of Protest (ANC)
On June 26, the ANC called for a general strike and a day of
mourning in protest at the May day murders. -
Suppression of Communism Act
This law formally banned the Communist Party of South Africa and proscribed any party or group subscribing to communism. -
Separate Representation of Voters Act
A law made to enforce racial segregation, and was part of a deliberate process to remove all non-white people from the voters' roll and revoke the Cape Qualified Franchise system. -
The Pass Laws
Also named the Natives Act of 1952, the Pass Laws permitted authorities to enforce segregation of the black and white communites and required black South Africans over the age of 16 to carry a pass book. -
Defiance Campaign of 1952 (ANC)
The ANC Defiance Campaign of 1952 was the largest scale non-
violent resistance ever seen in South Africa. -
The Criminal Law Amendment Act
A law was passed, stating that anyone even speaking out against the regime would be guilty of 'incitement'. -
The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act
Strict segregation by race in public offices, business, and public transportation. -
Bantu Education Act
This act separated fair and good education for black youth. -
Public Safety Act
It was a great effect of Sharpville Massacre, all rights could be stripped, and it called for an emergency of 156 days. -
Organizations Act
It empowered the government to declare states of emergency and increased penalties for protestors. -
The Separate Amenities Act
A law that allowed owners of public facilities the right to exclude people on the basis of colour or race and made it legal for races to be treated unequally. -
Natives Resettlement Act
Government could force the removal of people from areas. The government didn’t want mixed populated areas, and it complimented the group areas development of 1955. -
Freedom Charter Campaign (ANC)
The Freedom Charter united people of all racial origins in a common struggle to end apartheid and to establish a non-racial democratic state. -
Congress of the People
The Congress of the People was held over two days in a field in Kliptown, just outside Johannesburg. -
The Treason Trial
The police arrested 156 Congress Alliance leaders (104 African, 23 white, 21 Indian and 8 coloured) and charged them with treason under the Suppression of Communism Act. -
Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) Splinters Away From the ANC
A group of radicalized activists split away from the ANC to form the PAC. -
Sharpeville Massacre
During a PAC demonstration against pass books in Sharpeville, the police opened fire, killing 69 black protestors. -
Sobukwe Arrested
The ANC and the PAC were outlawed. Due to his overall ‘responsibility’ for the Pass Protest in Sharpeville, Sobukwe was arrested and jailed until 1969. -
ANC = Develops an armed wing called Umkhonto we Sizwe (Zulu for “Spear of the Nation”)
Members of both the PAC and ANC felt they had no alternative but to turn to armed resistance. -
PAC = Develops an armed wing called Poqo (“Pure”)
In the PAC, Leballo set up a militant wing called Poqo (pure), which launched a campaign of terrorism against individuals. -
Winds of Change
British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan delivered his “Winds of Change” speech, suggesting that Black nationalism was a force that had to be acknowledged and accepted. -
Resolution 1598
UN Resolution 1598 condemns apartheid. -
Left the Commonwealth of Britain
South Africa declared itself a republic. Its request to remain a member of the british commonwealth is rejected by the British government. -
Resolution 1761
UN Resolution 1761 encourages members "separately or collectively, in conformity with the charter" to break trade and diplomatic relations with South Africa. -
The Rivonia Trial and Mandela’s “I Am Prepared to Die” Speech
Ten leaders of the African National Congress were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to overthrow the apartheid system. -
Results of The Rivonia Trail
Mandela and other leaders of the MK were given life sentences and sent to Robben Island. -
Formation of the African Resistance Movement (ARM) Bombing of Johannesburg Station by Frederick John Harris
The African Resistance Movement (ARM) was a group made up largely by white students who had been part of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). -
The Women's March (FASW)
The Women’s March: 20,000 ANC women marched to the Prime Minister’s office to deliver a petition calling for the abolition of the pass laws. -
Prohibition of Marriages (1949) & Immorality Act
This act repealed the laws that prohibited marriage and sexual intercourse between white people and black people.