Free Mandela

Julian Bahula wrote ‘Mandela’ for the Festival of African Sounds at Alexandra Palace, north London, held on 17 July 1983 to celebrate Nelson Mandela‘s 65th birthday. It was performed there by Jazz Afrika and recorded on ‘African Sounds for Mandela’, TS Afrika Records, 1983. Jerry Dammers cites ‘Mandela’ as the inspiration for his hit song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. You can listen to it here. 

This poster advertised a concert in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank, one of many events held to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday on 18 July 1983. It raised funds for the 1983 Free Nelson Mandela Campaign, which brought together trade unions, the Church of England’s Board of Social Responsibility, and black and ethnic minority organisations.

This concert, held in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank, was one of many events held to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday on 18 July 1983. It raised funds for the 1983 Free Nelson Mandela Campaign, which brought together trade unions, the Church of England’s Board of Social Responsibility, and black and ethnic minority organisations.

This concert, held in the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank, was one of many events held to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday on 18 July 1983. It raised funds for the 1983 Free Nelson Mandela Campaign, which brought together trade unions, the Church of England’s Board of Social Responsibility, and black and ethnic minority organisations.

Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday was celebrated at a meeting in London attended by his daughter Zenani. Among the speakers were Mary Benson and AAM President Trevor Huddleston, who had both known Mandela before he went to prison. Hugh Masekela and the ANC choir performed at the celebration. Mandela’s birthday was marked by events all over Britain. The London Borough of Greenwich awarded him the freedom of the borough and public gardens were named after him in Leeds and Hull.

ANC representative Ruth Mompati spoke at the renaming of Sheffield Polytechnic Student Union building as the Nelson Mandela Building. Sheffield Polytechnic was one of many student unions to rename buildings after Nelson Mandela in the 1980s.

Nelson and Winnie Mandela were awarded the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen in 1984, with the support of Labour and Liberal members of the city council. This press release tells how Aberdeen AA Group won support for the award from local residents in the face of opposition from Conservative councillors and the Aberdeen Evening Express.

Hackney Council press release announcing the renaming of an east London housing block as Mandela House in 1984. Many British local authorities named roads, public gardens and housing estates in honour of Nelson Mandela in the 1980s as part of the campaign for his release.