protests and action 1.3

Defiance Campaign

The first coordinated nationwide campaign organized by the ANC against apartheid, marking a radical phase in the struggle against White minority rule.

ANC Youth League

A faction within the ANC that advocated for a more militant approach to resistance, leading to the adoption of the Programme of Action in 1949.

Programme of Action

A platform adopted by the ANC that outlined more militant strategies for resisting apartheid, including the Defiance Campaign.

Sharpeville Massacre

A pivotal event on March 21, 1960, where police opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, resulting in 69 deaths and leading to a shift in the ANC's strategy towards armed struggle.

Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

The armed wing of the ANC formed in response to the Sharpeville Massacre, marking the adoption of armed struggle against apartheid.

Rivonia Trial

A significant trial from 1963-1964 where ANC leaders, including Nelson Mandela, were tried for sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment, leading to increased international attention on apartheid.

Freedom Charter

A document adopted by the Congress of the People in 1955 that outlined the democratic aspirations of all South Africans and called for an end to apartheid.

Congress of the People (COP)

An alliance of anti-apartheid movements that convened in 1955 to unite various racial groups against apartheid and draft the Freedom Charter.

Criminal Law Amendment Act

A law introduced by the apartheid government in 1953 that allowed for harsher penalties for protest-related offenses, including whipping.

Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)

A breakaway faction from the ANC that emerged in 1959, advocating for a more African-centered approach to the struggle against apartheid.

Non-violent civil disobedience

A strategy employed during the Defiance Campaign, inspired by figures like Henry David Thoreau and Mahatma Gandhi, aimed at peacefully protesting unjust laws.

Alexandra Bus Boycott

A significant protest in 1957 against bus fare increases, demonstrating the effectiveness of organized popular action and leading to a rare victory against the apartheid government.

ANC Women's League

A key organization within the ANC that played a crucial role in organizing acts of defiance during the Defiance Campaign.

National Action Committee (NAC)

Formed to organize the Defiance Campaign, consisting of representatives from the ANC, South African Indian Congress (SAIC), and other groups.

Bantu Authorities Act

One of the six "unjust laws" targeted by the Defiance Campaign, which enforced the political and social exclusion of Black South Africans.

Group Areas Act

Another of the six "unjust laws," which segregated residential areas based on race, contributing to the systemic oppression of non-Whites.

Pass Laws Act

Legislation that required Black South Africans to carry passbooks, restricting their movement and reinforcing apartheid's oppressive framework.

Public Safety Act

A law introduced during the Defiance Campaign that allowed the government to declare a state of emergency and impose stricter measures against protests.

Treason Trial

A series of legal proceedings against ANC leaders following the COP and Freedom Charter, which aimed to suppress the anti-apartheid movement.