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The Union of South Africa is formed under British ruleling
The Union of South Africa is formed under British dominion. The South Africa Act of 1909 has taken away the political rights for most black South Africans. -
ACTS AFFECTING WORKERS
The Native Labor Regulation Act forbids black South African workers from striking. The Mines and Works Act refuses black South Africans industrial competency certificates that you have to have for mining jobs -
REPRESENTATION OF NATIVES ACT
The Representation of Natives Act weakens black South Africans' political rights in some regions, placing them on separate rolls and only letting them vote for white representatives. -
BLACK AFRICIAN MINE WORKERS STRIKE
More than 75,000 black South Africans go on strike for higher wages. Lots more than 1,000 workers are injured or killed by police. -
AFRIKANER NATIONAL PARTY RISES TO POWER
The ultra-right Afrikaner National Party legalized racial segregation, or apartheid -
THE POPULATION REGISTRATION ACT
The Population Registration Act puts South Africans into three racial groups: white, colored (mixed race or Asian), and Bantu/native (African/black). The Group Areas Act sets aside specific communities for each race. -
BANTU AUTHORITIES ACT
The Bantu Authorities Act creates ten black South African "homelands" as independent states, takeing millions of their South African citizenship and requiring black people to carry passports to enter white areas. -
ABOLITION OF PASSES ACT
The Abolition of Passes Act ends the "pass" system but it reallyrequires all black South Africans to carry "reference" books with lots of forms of identification. They then burn these books as a form of protesting. -
RESERVATION OF SEPARATE AMENITIES ACT
The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act legalizes the "separate but not necessarily equal" public places for blacks, "coloreds," and whites that have been started since 1948. -
SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE
More than 70 black South Africans are killed in Sharpeville after refusing to carry their reference books. -
THE ANC RADICALIZES
Part of the ANC and others work against apartheid, led by Nelson Mandela, they launch an armed resistance in the country. -
UN SPECIAL COMMITTEE AGAINST APARTHEID FORMED
The United Nations establishes the Special Committee Against Apartheid to support a start of peaceful change in South Africa. -
NELSON MANDELA IMPRISONED
Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison. -
HENDRIK VERWOERD ASSASSINATED
National Party Prime Minister and "architect of apartheid" Hendrik Verwoerd is assassinated. -
ANTI APARTHEID MOVEMENT GROWS
MID 1970s: The anti-apartheid movement gains power with more organization and help by whites. -
RESETTLEMENTS
More than 3 million black South Africans are forced to go live in "reserves." -
SOWETO UPRISING
Black South African students protest educational discrimination. Police killed more than 500 people and injure thousands more. -
STEVE BIKO DIES
Steve Biko, the leader of the Black Consciousness Movement, is beaten and arrested, and dies in police custody. -
STATE OF EMERGENCY
President P.W. Botha declares a state of emergency and inforces martial law. Through the next four years, thousands of blacks are taken or killed. -
U.S. CALLS FOR SANCTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
The U.S. passes the Anti-Apartheid Act -
APARTHEID LAWS RELAXED OR REPEALED
F.W. de Klerk replaces P.W. Botha as state president and relaxes or repeals some segregationist laws ike those separating whites and non-whites in public places. -
MANDELA AND OTHERS RELEASED
De Klerk lifts the ban that outlaws the ANC and they free Nelson Mandela and five other anti-apartheid leaders. The ANC get read of its armed struggle against the white people-led government. -
DE KLERK CALLS FOR A NEW CONSTITUTION
De Klerk repeals the remainder of the apartheid laws and calls for a new constitution. -
MULTIRACIAL GOVERNMENT APPROVED
A multiracial government is approved. -
FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS
South Africa holds its first democratic elections. Nelson Mandela is elected President.
