Apartheid

Background on South Africa South Africa is a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources including fertile farmlands and unique mineral resources. South African mines are world leaders in the production of diamonds and gold as well as strategic metals such as platinum. The climate is mild, reportedly resembling the San Francisco bay area weather more than anywhere in the world.

Recall from the scramble for Africa South Africa was colonized by the English and Dutch in the seventeenth century. English domination of the Dutch descendents (known as Boers or Afrikaners) resulted in the Dutch establishing the new colonies of Orange Free State and Transvaal. The discovery of diamonds in these lands around 1900 resulted in an English invasion which sparked the Boer War.

Beginning of apartheid Following independence from England, an uneasy power-sharing between the two groups held sway until the 1940's, when the Afrikaner National Party was able to gain a strong majority. The National Party invented apartheid as a means to cement their control over the economic and social system. Initially, the aim of apartheid was to maintain white domination while extending racial separation.

Apartheid Institutionalized, legal racial discrimination In 1950, the Population Registration Act required that all South Africans be racially classified into one of three categories: White Black (African) Colored (of mixed decent) Classification into these categories was based on appearance, social acceptance, and descent.

How was race determined? A white person was defined as ``in appearance obviously a white person or generally accepted as a white person.'' A person could not be considered white if one of his or her parents were non-white. The determination that a person was ``obviously white'' would take into account ``his habits, education, and speech and demeanor.'' A black person would be of or accepted as a member of an African tribe or race, and a colored person is one that is not black or white.

How race affected daily life Prohibition of marriage between non-whites and whites Sanctioning of ``white-only'' jobs Blacks were required to carry ``pass books'' containing fingerprints, photo and information on access to non-black areas. Homelands were created according to race

Resistance In 1960, a large group of blacks in Sharpeville refused to carry their passes The government declared a state of emergency. The emergency lasted for 156 days, leaving 69 people dead and 187 people wounded. The penalties imposed on political protest, even non-violent protest, were severe. Thousands of individuals died in custody, frequently after gruesome acts of torture. Those who were tried were sentenced to death, banished, or imprisoned for life, like Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist The South Africa courts convicted him on charges of sabotage, as well as other crimes committed while he led the movement against apartheid. In accordance with his conviction's sentence, Mandela served 27 years in prison.

What factors led to the end of apartheid? Widespread opposition among both black and white South Africans to apartheid policies essentially eroded apartheid from within (starting in the 1970s) 2. Western nations strongly opposed apartheid 3. Banks withdrew from South Africa in protest of apartheid 4. Many religious groups pressured the South African government to end apartheid

The end of apartheid Combined with violent demonstrations from within and a mass organization of angry South Africans, these factors doomed apartheid, and repeals to apartheid laws started to occur in 1990. Four years later, South Africa had a democratic election, and the last legal traces of apartheid were eliminated.

Protesting Apartheid

A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982

Black South African shows his passbook issued by the Government

A passbook that the South African blacks are required to carry

Houses in Soweto, a black township

Children of Soweto, a Black township some ten miles away from Johannesburg, in 1982

Newspaper headline on a Johannesburg street refers to a government plan in 1982 to cede territory and people to Swaziland. The people in question were not consulted in the matter.

Mourners at a funeral ceremony for those who were killed by the South African police in the 1985 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at Langa Township in Uitenhage. The day commemorates the anniversary of the March 21, 1960 Sharpeville massacre.

Black boys looking in on a game of soccer at an all-white school in Johannesburg.

Nelson Mandela casting the ballot in his country's first all-race elections, in April 1994

Newly-elected President Nelson Mandela addressing the crowd from a balcony

Assignment Read the handout on apartheid laws. After reading the sample laws you are to create a poster protesting one of the apartheid laws. You must include information regarding the apartheid law you select as well as your solution or resolution to the law.

Tasks Read through the list of apartheid laws Selected an apartheid law you want to work with Create a rough draft 4. Make the final copy of your poster *All poster are due NO LATER than Friday