Action for Justice
South African Case StudiesPeople and Events
Chief Albert Luthuli
Africa’s First
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
The Basics about Luthuli
O Raised in NatalO Trained as a teacher and
administratorO Elected as Chief of GroutvilleO Member of ANC, elected as
President of ANC in 1952O Arrested for high treason (1956) –
withdrawn/acquitted
http://www.up.ac.za/media/shared/Legacy/sitefiles/file/albertluthulitimeline.pdf
The Climate at the Time
O People largely involved in peaceful resistance
O Informed by nonviolent model of civil disobedience (assoc. Mahatma Ghandi)
O ANC launched “Defiance Campaign” in 1952 under Luthuli
O Over 8,000 people arrested; response of police violence, fines, jail sentences, banning orders
http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/sites/default/files/files/downloads/Learners%20book%20Chapter4.pdf
Sharpeville Massacre
March 21, 1960
Passbooks and Pass Laws- Form of internal
passport system- Black populations
required to carry- Pass Laws Act (1952)
instituted nation-wide pass
- Entries documented permission, requests and behavior
- Any governmental employee could cancel permission
- No valid entry prison- Symbolic of apartheid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pass_laws
Behind SharpevilleO ANC planned peaceful protest
against Pass Laws on March 31O PAC pre-empted with March 21
campaignO 5,000+ black men presented
themselves at Sharpeville Police Station for arrest for not carrying Pass Books
http://www.mypublicholidays.co.za/holidays/human-rights-day
Then…O Crowd increasedO Accounts differO Policemen started shooting into
crowdO 69 killed, 180+ wounded
Apartheid Museum Source
http://www.mypublicholidays.co.za/holidays/human-rights-day
Returning to Luthuli
- March 26, Chief Luthuli publicly burned his passbook in protest
- Calls for peaceful burning by all Africans
- Arrested
1960 Nobel Peace Prize
O Luthuli awarded 1960 Nobel Peace Prize
O Accepted in 1961
Then…O Continued banningO Continued advocacy workO Killed by a train in 1967
Not the end of the story…
Soweto Uprising Nelson Mandela