Fern Townsend – Text and images from Google Cultural Institute

Apartheid and

Protest

SOWETO RIOTS

Fern Townsend – Text and images from Google Cultural Institute

16th June 1976 was the day children of Soweto, Johannesburg protested on the streets against the introduction of Afrikaans being taught as a language in schools. Afrikaans was seen as the language of the oppressor. This image is of the peaceful protest the children voiced. Many teachers supported it after the Action Committee emphasised discipline. This image was chosen because the Soweto Uprising was a huge event in the fight against apartheid South Africa, and this photograph captures the children’s faces and signs – their emotions and opinions - as they protest.

‘The Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974 forced all black schools to use Afrikaans and English in a 50-50 mix as languages of instruction.’

Hector Pieterson was one of the first children to die at the Soweto Uprising. Hector was 12 when he was shot by the apartheid police after they were ordered to fire.

This image (captured by Sam Nzima) of Hector being carried by another student (Mbuyisa Makhubo) with his sister (Antoinette Sithole) running next to them was chosen because it has become an iconic image of the tragedy of 16th June 1976. The photo was published all over the world.

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SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE

Fern Townsend – Text and images from Google Cultural Institute

Three days after Mangaliso Sobukwe made his announcement, the Pan-Africanist leaders started their campaign to reverse apartheid.

Sobukwe sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police to make his intention clear. He said he had “given strict instruction, not only to members of my own organisation but also to the African people in general, that they should not allow themselves to be provoked into violent action by anyone”.

“This is the call the African people have been waiting for! It has come! On Monday 21st March 1960, we launch our positive, decisive campaign against the pass laws in this country.”

– Mangaliso Sobukwe, 3 days before Sharpeville

On the 21thousands of Pan-Africanists reported to the police without their passes and asked to be arrested.

The objective was to show the power organised non-violence.

Everything went according to plan until tragedy struck Sharpeville.chosen for its powerful impact.

Just before the massacre started, a Saracen tank drove through a crowd of chanting Africans.

The police open fired on the crowd and mere minutes later many lay dead on the ground. The people fled from the shooting and some tried to assist the injured.

67 Africans were killed and 186 were wounded.

The image to the left shows the horror people felt and experienced that day.

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BOYCOTT APARTHEID

Fern Townsend – Text and images from Google Cultural Institute

“We are not asking you, the British people, for anything special. We are just asking you to withdraw your support from apartheid by not buying South African goods.”

– Julius Nyeree, 1959

The Boycott Apartheid Movement was established in Britain in 1959, after Nyeree made his appeal. The aim of the Movement was to support non-whites in South Africa. A year later, when the horrific incident at Sharpeville occurred, emotions grew and the Movement was renamed the Anti Apartheid Movement (AMM). It stepped up its actions from boycotting apartheid products to campaigning for economic sanctions and isolation of apartheid South Africa. The cause gained widespread support, from students to celebrities to religious leaders to political parties. The above image was chosen for the fact that it shows how different types of people banded together to fight the oppression in South Africa.

The image on the right is of Labour MP, Joan Lestor attending a Steve Biko memorial service at St-Martin-in-the-fields, Trafalgar Square on 12th September, 1978. It marked the anniversary of his death in detention in South Africa. The list of names behind her is draped from the Church.

It names the 50 other prisoners known to have died in South African Detention. This photograph was chosen because it reflects how strongly the British took this issue.

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EXHIBITION ROOM

Fern Townsend – Text and images from Google Cultural Institute

DOOR

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