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The Act of Union
The British deciding to make peace with the Boers decides to unite both British and Boer lands, making one Country (South Africa) -
SANNC Foundation
One of the first groups in S.A dedicated to unity of all races -
ANC Youth League Manifesto
The creation of the Youth League of ANC and the forefront of ANC thereafter (The beliefs and duties of the Youth League) Nelson Mandela (w/others) create the Youth League - Emphasizing rights of African people to self determination & laid plans for strikes, boycotts and civil disobedience -
National Party Wins South Africa Election
The National Party wins the election promising a solution to Social and Economical problems: Apartheid -
Period: to
The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages / Immorality Acts
Prohibited White South Africans from marrying or having sex with any other race -
The Bantustans System
Divided South Africa into territories where different race groups had to live. Blacks ended up with only 14% of the land (Tribal Homelands) although making up 80% of the population -
Stock Limitation Act
Was used as the forced removal or slaughter of cattle belonging to African people in the land reserves they were pushed into -
Period: to
The Bantu Authorities
The division of territories into 10 tribal groupings. Also stripped rights to participate in South African Gov -
The May Day Srikes
The ANC, SACP and ACPO co-ordinate a May Day Strike
Was meant as a protest against the Communist Suppression Act
Police killed 19 and injured 30 -
National Day of Protest
The ANC calls for a general strike and day of mourning in protest at the May Day murders
Supported by the ACPO and S.A Indian Congress -
Group Areas Act
This act restricted the racial groups to different residential areas -
Population Registration Act
Required that every person by classified as either White, Asian, Bantu or Colored. This also decided where to live and rights -
Suppression of Communism Act
was legislation of the national government in apartheid South Africa which formally banned the Communist Party of South Africa and proscribed any party or group subscribing to communism -
The Pass Laws
A 96 page booklet that MUST be carried on person for all Black South Africans. This act was used to limit the movement of black South Africans by allowing to stay in certain areas only with the approval of their passbooks -
The Defiance Campaign (ANC)
The largest non-violent resistance movement in South Africa.
8,000+ were jailed in defiance of Apartheid law
All protests employed civil disobedience
Although it did not overtake Apartheid, it brought many people from different races together
ANC membership grew drastically (7,000 to 100,000) -
The Reservation of Seperate Amenities Act
The segregation of all public facilities for all races. (i.e colored - whites only) -
The Bantu Education Act
Provided inferior and separate education system for black children and youth. -
The Public Saftey Act
Allowed the government to declare states of emergency and use punishments like whipping or imprisonment for protestors -
The Criminal Law Amendment Act
Civil Disobedience was now punishable with prison time
(Protesting)
Supporting Anti-Apartheid Law could also get you prison time -
Native Resettlement Act
Complements the Group Areas Act. Allowed the forced removal of Black South Africans from urban areas. -
Freedom Charter Campaign
Top leaders from the ANC, S.A Indian Congress, SACPC, SACD etc. united to a common struggle to end Apartheid and to establish a non-racial democratic state
Forming the basis of the Constitution of 1996. “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white…we, the people of South Africa... together equals, countrymen and brothers adopt this Freedom Charter”. -
Congress of the People
Held over two days in Kliptown, just outside Johannesburg, 7,000 thousand people all over the country (ANC, PAC, CD, CoD, SAIC, ACPO, SACTU, FASW) joined together to both sustain the Anti-Apartheid movement and in adopting the Freedom Charter -
The Women's March (FASW)
20,000 women marched to the Prime Minister's office to deliver a petition calling for the abolition of pass laws. Prime minster Strijdom had been told of the march but chose not to be there. The Anti-Pass campaign did not succeed and millions of black women were forced to carry passes. -
The Treason Trial
Police raid of 156 Congress Alliance Leaders charged with treason under the Suppression of Communism Act.
The Freedom Charter was as evidence of the Alliance’s communist intentions and to overthrow the government.
Dragged out for 5 years, then dropped. -
Pan Africanist Congress Splits from ANC
A group of radicalized activists split away from the ANC to form the PAC. They felt that the focus of the ANC was being lost through its compromises with non-Black organizations. Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe was elected first chairman and Potlako Leballo as secretary. -
The Unlawful Organisations Act
Banned the ANC and PAC - The final blow to Civil Disobedience -
PAC - 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 Speech
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. -
Sharpeville Massacre
20,000 PAC-mobilized protesters left their homes without their passes and gathered in Sharpeville - about 30 miles south of Johannesburg. The police responded by opening fire on the unarmed throng 69 Blacks were killed and another 186 were wounded, the majority of whom were hit in the back. -
ANC & PAC outlawed
After the Sharpevillle Massacre, due to his overall ‘responsibility’ for the Pass Protest in Sharpeville, Sobukwe was arrested and jailed until 1969 - PAC and ANC were outlawed because of this and Civil Disobedience came to an end -
South Africa - Now Republic
South Africa votes to declare itself a republic (instead of monarchy) and request to remain a member of the Commonwealth is rejected by the British government -
ANC - Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation)
The armed wing of ANC, launching a sabotage campaign against property -
UN Resolution 1598 - Response to Aparthied
the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies -
UN Resolution 1761 - Breaking ties with S.A
UN Resolution 1761 encourages members "separately or collectively, in conformity with the charter" to break trade and diplomatic relations with South Africa. -
Mandela and International Pressure
Mandela and other leaders of the
MK were given life sentences and sent to Robben Island At the same time this increased international criticism of apartheid. The United Nations condemned the trial and initiated steps to introduce sanctions. -
The Rivonia Trial - “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. Often referred to as "the trial that changed South Africa” Mandela famously concluded his speech “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a Democratic and free society -
ARM Movement
A group made up largely by white students who had been part of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). On 24 July 1964, Frederick John Harris, a member of ARM, planted a time bomb in the Johannesburg station.