-
Formation of the Union of South Africa
Unification of colonies into the "Union of South Africa" under British Empire -
Formation of the African National Congress Youth League
The African National Congree (ANC) formed a youth league in 1944 which was very sucessful in rallying the masses. The leaders of this group were: Anton Lembede, Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu -
National Party wins elections
The Afrikaner National Party wins the 1948 elections by the promotion of apartheid. This is a major turning point in history, apartheid policies were strengthened. -
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act
Apartheid LegislationGovernment makes a law that prohibits marriages between white people and any other race that is not white in South Africa. -
Immorality Amendment Act
Apartheid LegislationGovernment passes law prohibiting any sexual relations between white and black people in South Africa. -
Population Registration Act
The government of South Africa classified every person according to their race (white, colored, African, or Indian). -
Group Areas Act
The government institutes residential segregation and forcibly removed black people from the deemed "white areas". -
The Natives Abolition of Passes and Co-ordination of Documents Act
Apartheid LegislationThe government tightened control of black people's movement into white areas. All men were required to carry 'dompas' (ID cards) stating their race. -
The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act
Apartheid LegislationGovernment banned the mixing of white and black people in public areas. Black people had to use separate public facilities, parks, benches, entrances into buildings, post offices, buses, and public tiolets. -
The Bantu Education Act
Apartheid LegislationThe government instituted an educational policy for all black Africans who would be trained only to do unskilled labor with low wages. -
Women required to carry dompas
Government restricts black women's movement and requires them to carry dompas as well. -
Women March on Government
20,000 black women marched on government building (now celebrated as a public holiday) -
Bantu Self-Government Act
The government creates Bantustans (reserves), which black people are forced to live to separate them from the white peope. The Bantustans were promoted as "separate countries" when in reality thy had very little control. -
Sharpeville Massacre
Sharpeville Massacre DetailsPan Africanist Congree (PAC) organized protest outside police station in Sharpeville, the police fired at the crowd killing 69 people and wounding 180. This was a major turning point in anti-apartheid moevment -
Nelson Mandela arrested
Found guilty of sabotage and sentenced to life in prison during the Rivonia Trials -
The Soweto Uprising
Soweto Uprising DetailsGovernment ordered that 1/2 subjects in grade 7 and 8 had to be taught in Afrikaans. In response, 20,000 students marched through Soweto, police fired on crowd, many protestors were killed and chaos broke out throughout the country. This was the boiling point of the anti-apartheid movement. -
Nelson Mandela and all other political prisoners released
Due to the internal and extrenal pressures, the govenrment started to make concessions to the ANC. All political prisoners were released from jail, including Nelson Mandela. -
Freedom Day
Nelson Mandela was voted as President of South Africa and this officially ended apartheid in South Africa.
