Robert Sobukwe Timeline

By Styn
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    Robert Sobukwe

  • National Party came into power and enforced Apartheid

    In 1948 the National Party came into power and enforced Apartheid
  • Robert Sobukwe joined the ANC youth legue while he was still a student

  • In october 1949, Sobukwe was elected president of the Fort Hare Students' Representative Council where he established him as an important figure among his peers.

    In october 1949, Sobukwe was elected president of the Fort Hare Students' Representative Council where he established him as an important figure among his peers.
  • Robert Sobukwe was a teacher at Jandrell Secondary School in Standerton, where he taught History, English and Geography.

  • In 1949 Robert Sobukwe met Veronica Mathe at Alice Hospital. In 1950 they married.

  • He lost his job at the school after speaking out in favour of the Defiance Campaign.

  • Robert Sobukwe moved to Johannesburg, where he became a lecturer in African Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.

  • Robert Sobukwe became editor of The Africanist in 1957 and soon began to criticise the ANC for allowing itself to be dominated by what he termed 'liberal-left-multi-racialists'.

  • Robert Sobukwe was initiating an Africant breakaway from the ANC in 1958, which led to the birth of the Pan Africanist Congress(PAC).

  • Robert Sobukwe completed his Honours dissertation at Wits

  • Robert Sobukwe was sentenced to three years in prison for inciting Africans to demand the repeal of the pass laws.

  • Robert Sobukwe was moved to Robben Island, where he remained for an additional six years.

  • Although Robert sobukwe was imprisoned on Robben Island, he had acces to books and was allowed to wear civil clothes.

  • Sobukwe was released from prison in May 1969 and was banished to Galeshewe in Kimberley, where he was joined by his family.

  • Robert Sobukwe successfully applied for a teaching post at the University of Wisconsin in the US, but the Apartheid government refused his request for a passport.

  • Sobukwe began studying Law while he was under house arrest.

  • Robert Sobukwe opend his own Law Firm

  • In 1977 Robert Sobukwe applied for medical permission to go to Johannesburg. He was diagnosed with lung cancer.

  • On 27 February 1978 Robert Sobukwe died from lung cancer at Kimberley General Hospital

  • His funeral was held on 11 March 1978