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withdrawn/acquitted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