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Policy of apartheid adopted.
The National Party gained power in South Africa and using its all-white government enforced policies of racial segregation. Under this nonwhite South Africans were forced to live in separate areas and use separate public facilities. -
Nelson Mandela leads a campaign of civil disobedience.
In the 1950's the population was classified by race and the Group Areas Act was passed that segregated blacks and whites. This led Nelson Mandela to respond with a campaign of civil disobedience. -
Sharpeville Masscre.
Police officers in a black township in South Africa opened fire on a group of people peacefully protesting oppressive pass laws. 69 people were killed. -
South Africa declared a republic.
South Africa was declared a republic and left the Commonwealth. While this was happening, Mandela was heading a new military wing that was going to launch a sabotage campaign. -
Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.
He was charged with sabotage, treason, and violent conspiracy. Mandela admitted to the charges and was sentenced to life in prison. -
prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd assassinated.
A political revolutionary assassinated Verwoerd. This was said to be motivated by a hatred of him and everything he stood for. He was a political assassin that wanted to get rid of the architect of apartheid. -
Soweto Uprising.
More than 600 were killed in clashes between black protesters and security forces. They were protesting against the government's insistence that the Afrikaans language should be used as the medium o instruction in Soweto's high schools. -
Township revolt.
A state of emergency was declared in July in 36 magisterial districts. Organizations and meetings were being banned and thousands of people were getting detained. -
Major fighting between ANC and Zulu Inkatha movement.
It began with random attacks by IFP members on ANC settlements and then a clear pattern of violence began between the two. An Inkatha group consisting of hundreds of armed IFP sympathizers killed ANC supporters the day after an agreement had been reached. -
Mandela released from prison.
Nelson Mandela was released from prison after spending 27 years there. The release happened after the apartheid government offered him conditional freedom in 1985. -
Mandela becomes president.
Mandela was pained for his inability to thank his comrades in the freedom struggle who were unable to see what their sacrifices had brought. This is showing that the pain of apartheid made Nelson Mandela become the president of South Africa.