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  3. Who was involved

Who was involved with the Anti Apartheid Movement

Artists Against Apartheid

Musicians, writers and performers were hugely important in publicising anti-apartheid campaigns and winning mass support for the Anti-Apartheid Movement. From the AAM’s earliest years stars of stage and screen campaigned for a boycott of South Africa and took part in events that dramatised life under apartheid. In the 1980s rock musicians spearheaded the campaign to free Nelson Mandela and bands put on fund-raising gigs all over Britain.

THEATRE

In 1963, leading playwrights, including Samuel Beckett, refused permission for their plays to be shown before segregated audiences. The actors union Equity followed suit. Marlon Brando and British actors like Warren Mitchell, Una Stubbs and Ian McKellen took part in fundraising shows in the Royal Festival Hall and Central Hall Westminster. Kenneth Williams, Albert Finney and Sheila Hancock demonstrated outside South Africa House calling for the release from detention of South African actors Winston Ntshona and John Kani.

FUNDRAISING

From the 1960s, artists like Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger and Cleo Laine took part in gigs to raise funds for the AAM. South African jazz musicians Dudu Pukwana and the Blue Notes played at ANC fundraising dances and demonstrated to the wider world the vibrancy of music from Southern Africa. Later the Bhundu Boys from Zimbabwe played at the The Brixton Academy and other venues.

ARTISTS AGAINST APARTHEID

Artists Against Apartheid was set up in 1986 and supported concerts featuring hundreds of artists including Billy Bragg, The Smiths, The Pogues and Elvis Costello. Its biggest concert was the Festival for Freedom at London’s Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. A quarter of a million people heard an all-star line-up led by Gil Scott-Heron, Boy George, Elvis Costello and Peter Gabriel. 

FREE MANDELA CAMPAIGN

The Festival of African Sounds at Alexandra Palace in 1983, with Hugh Masekela, Julian Bahula and Osibisa, sparked an explosion of songs celebrating the South African liberation struggle. Jerry Dammers ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ went to the top of the charts. In June 1988 the AAM launched its ‘Free Nelson Mandela at 70’ campaign at a concert at Wembley stadium attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. International artists included Stevie Wonder, Whoopi Goldberg, Hugh Masekela and George Michael.

LOCAL GIGS

Concerts and festivals were part of the repertoire of local anti-apartheid groups, often with support from local councils. They spread the anti-apartheid message and raised much-needed funds for anti-apartheid campaigns.

CLICK HERE FOR ARTISTS AGAINST APARTHEID DOCUMENTS AND PICTURES

Artists

60s17. Playwrights Against Apartheid

60s17. Playwrights Against Apartheid

In June 1963 48 British and American playwrights signed a declaration that they would not allow their plays to be performed before segregated audiences in South Africa. This was part of a wider cultural boycott. The actors union Equity already insisted that if members performed in South Africa they must perform in ‘non-white’ venues. The union later took up a declaration promoted by Vanessa Redgrave where members pledged they would not perform in front of segregated audiences.

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cul02. Letter from Samuel Beckett, 1963

cul02. Letter from Samuel Beckett, 1963

In June 1963 48 British and American playwrights signed a declaration that they would not allow their plays to be performed before segregated audiences in South Africa. This letter from Samuel Beckett pledges his support for the declaration.

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60s33. ‘We Sing of Freedom’ programme

60s33. ‘We Sing of Freedom’ programme

Programme for a fundraising concert with folksingers Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and South African musician Todd Matshikiza, held in July 1963. Other artists included South African singer James Phillips, Jewish folk group The Haverim and A L Lloyd. This was the first of many folk concerts and theatre presentations held to raise funds for the AAM in the 1960s.

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60s32. ‘We Sing of Freedom’ leaflet

60s32. ‘We Sing of Freedom’ leaflet

Leaflet advertising a fundraising concert with folksingers Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and South African musician Todd Matshikiza, held in July 1963. Other artists included South African singer James Phillips, Jewish folk group The Haverim and A L Lloyd. This was the first of many folk concerts and theatre presentations held to raise funds for the AAM in the 1960s.

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pic6404. Marlon Brando and Abdul Minty

pic6404. Marlon Brando and Abdul Minty

Marlon Brando asked film directors, actors and producers to forbid the screening of their films before segregated audiences in South Africa on a visit to London in 1964. In the photograph he is at a press conference with the AAM’s Hon. Secretary Abdul Minty. He also took part in a vigil outside South Africa House calling for the release of political prisoners.

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60s23. South Africa Freedom Day

60s23. South Africa Freedom Day

In June 1965 the AAM presented a dramatisation of life under apartheid. This leaflet advertised the event and set out campaign priorities for 1965.

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60s35. ‘Anatomy of Apartheid’

60s35. ‘Anatomy of Apartheid’

Leaflet advertising ‘Anatomy of Apartheid’, a dramatic presentation staged at Central Hall, Westminster on 21 March 1966. The show drew on court case records and personal affidavits from people who had suffered under apartheid. It was scripted by John Hales and Christopher Williams from the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred Joss Ackland, John Bird and Eleanor Bron. The show led to a big increase in the membership of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

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60s34. ‘Come Back Africa’ programme

60s34. ‘Come Back Africa’ programme

Programme for a fundraising concert in the Royal Albert Hall to mark the UN Human Rights Year and South Africa Freedom Day on 26 June 1968. The concert was arranged by the International Defence and Aid Fund (IDAF). Contributors included Marlon Brando, Warren Mitchell and ‘the Alf Garnett family’, Jonathan Miller and guitarist John Williams. The concert was supported by the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

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60s37. South Africa Freedom Day concert, 1969

60s37. South Africa Freedom Day concert, 1969

This leaflet advertised a fundraising event held on the evening of the AAM’s conference on liberation and guerrilla warfare, at the Round House in Camden, north London. It featured a film about Bob Dylan’s England tour ‘Don’t Look Back’ and poetry and music groups The Scaffold, Yes and Dry Ice. 

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70s01. Sharpeville Massacre Tenth Anniversary

70s01. Sharpeville Massacre Tenth Anniversary

The AAM staged a re-enactment of the Sharpeville shootings in Trafalgar Square on 21 March 1970 to mark the tenth anniversary of the massacre. Bishop Ambrose Reeves, Bishop of Johannesburg at the time of the shootings, spoke about life under apartheid ten years on. The following evening, the AAM presented a programme of specially commissioned short plays by leading British playwrights before an audience of 1,500 at the Lyceum Theatre. Both events received wide media coverage.

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po009. SS Sharpeville Massacre Tenth Anniversary

po009. SS Sharpeville Massacre Tenth Anniversary

Poster publicising a re-enactment of the Sharpeville massacre in Trafalgar Square on 21 March 1970. Around 3,000 people watched as actors dressed as South African police took aim and people in the crowd fell to the ground. The event received wide media publicity. It was organised by the AAM and the United Nations Student Association.

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pic7002. Sharpeville Re-enactment, 1970

pic7002. Sharpeville Re-enactment, 1970

On the tenth anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre the AAM staged a re-enactment in Trafalgar Square. Around 3,000 people watched as actors dressed as South African police took aim and people in the crowd fell to the ground. The event was organised by the AAM and the United Nations Students Association (UNSA).

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pic7005. Sharpeville re-enactment, 1970

pic7005. Sharpeville re-enactment, 1970

Bishop Ambrose Reeves speaking at a re-enactment of the Sharpeville massacre staged in Trafalgar Square on 21 March 1970. Around 3,000 people watched as actors dressed as South African police took aim and people in the crowd fell to the ground. The event was organised by the AAM and the United Nations Students Association (UNSA).

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int03a. Ethel de Keyser interview clip

int03a. Ethel de Keyser interview clip

Ethel de Keyser worked full-time for the Anti-Apartheid Movement from 1965 to 1974 and was appointed as its Executive Secretary in 1967. She continued to serve on the AAM Executive Committee until the mid-1980s. She later became the Director of the British Defence and Aid Fund and set up the Canon Collins Educational Trust for Southern Africa.

In this clip Ethel de Keyser talks about the importance of the visual image of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and describes the dramatisation of the Sharpeville massacre in Trafalgar Square and a show at the Lyceum Theatre in 1970.

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70s02. An Evening of Freedom Theatre

70s02. An Evening of Freedom Theatre

On 22 March 1970 the AAM staged a fundraising evening of Freedom Theatre to mark the tenth anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre. The programme included short plays by leading British playwrights and attracted an audience of 1,500 at the Lyceum Theatre. The evening received wide media coverage. The AAM depended on membership subscriptions and events such as this to fund its campaigns.

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pri20. ‘The Voice of Freedom’

pri20. ‘The Voice of Freedom’

Programme for an evening of music and readings to mark Human Rights Day, 10 December 1975, and raise funds for campaigns for Southern African political prisoners. Among the performers were actor Ian McKellen and South African saxophonist Dudu Pukwana.

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art2. Evening of Indian music and dance

art2. Evening of Indian music and dance

Flyer publicising an evening of Indian music and dance at London’s Institute of Education on 15 April 1983.

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lgs03. Merton AA Group programme

lgs03. Merton AA Group programme

This programme of events organised by Merton AA Group in south London, October–December 1980, included a fundraising filmshow and concert, with Liverpool reggae band Cross Section, and an evening of poetry and music with South African singer James Phillips. It advertised pickets of the local branches of Sainsbury’s and Barclays Bank, and a material aid collection.

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lgs06. ANC Anniversary Weekend

lgs06. ANC Anniversary Weekend

Programme for a weekend of film, music, stalls and discussion, organised by Merseyside AA Group to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress. The weekend included a showing of the film ‘Generations of Resistance’ and an evening of music and poetry with John Matshikiza, James Phillips and David Evans.

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art11. Orchestre Jazira

art11. Orchestre Jazira

Flyer advertising a fundraising gig with Orchestre Jazira at the University of London Union in January 1982. The concert was organised by the recently-formed London Anti-Apartheid Committee, set up to co-ordinate the work of local anti-apartheid and other sympathetic groups in London. It was the first of many gigs promoted by the London AA Committee over the next decade.

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po145. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

po145. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

Poster advertising the Festival of African Sounds, held at Alexandra Palace, north London on 17 July 1983, the eve of Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday. The concert featured new music by African musicians. The all-star line-up included Hugh Masekela, Jazz Afrika, Dudu Pukwana and the Ipi Tombi dancers. The concert was organised by the AAM and sponsored by the Musicians Union, Arts Council and Greater London Arts Association.

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mda09. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

mda09. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

The Festival of African Sounds at Alexandra Palace in north London, marking Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday in July 1983,  was the first big concert held for Mandela. It featured new music by African musicians. The all-star line-up included Hugh Masekela, Jazz Afrika, Dudu Pukwana and the Ipi Tombi dancers. The concert was sponsored by the Musicians Union, the Arts Council and Greater London Arts Association.

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pic8302. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

pic8302. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

The Festival of African Sounds at Alexandra Palace, north London, celebrated Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday in July 1983. Zenani Mandela was a special guest. The bust of Mandela in the photograph was created by sculptor Ian Walters. 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.

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pic8303. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

pic8303. Festival of African Sounds, Alexandra Palace

Mike Terry, Bob Hughes MP and Abdul Minty at the Festival of African Sounds held to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 65th birthday in 1983. Zenani Mandela was a special guest. The bust of Mandela in the photograph was created by sculptor Ian Walters. 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.

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art12. ‘Mandela’, Julian Buhula’s Jazz Afrika

art12. ‘Mandela’, Julian Buhula’s Jazz Afrika

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. 

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po148. Concert for Mandela

po148. Concert for Mandela

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.

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mda06. Concert for Mandela

mda06. Concert for Mandela


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.

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mda07. Concert for Mandela

mda07. Concert for Mandela

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.

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pic8417. Festival in Jubilee Gardens, 2 June 1984

pic8417. Festival in Jubilee Gardens, 2 June 1984

The march against P W Botha on 2 June 1984 was followed by a free concert in Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank. This was one of a series of big music festivals organised by the AAM in the 1980s. It was sponsored by the Greater London Council.

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lgs12. Leeds Anti-Apartheid Week

lgs12. Leeds Anti-Apartheid Week

Leeds City Council, local trade unions, and Leeds City and University AA Groups came together to organise a week of anti-apartheid events in October 1984. Activities included a vigil for political prisoners, collection of material aid, film shows and fundraising concerts, and an activists conference.

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80s65. Amandla tour programme, 1985

80s65. Amandla tour programme, 1985

The ANC’s cultural group Amandla was formed in Angola after the 1976 Soweto uprising. It was made up of 30 young South African singers, dancers and musicians. On its1985 tour of Britain it visited centres all over the country, performing and holding workshops on music, dance and drama. The tour included shows at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and Shaw Theatre. It was sponsored by trade unions and local authorities.

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pic8504. Actors against apartheid

pic8504. Actors against apartheid

Members of the actors’ union Equity called for the resignation of Equity President Derek Bond after he performed for whites-only audiences in South Africa. Bond campaigned to reverse Equity’s support for the cultural boycott. Equity members picketed the first night of a play at Theatre Royal, Nottingham, in which Bond played a starring role.

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po146. Poems for Nelson Mandela

po146. Poems for Nelson Mandela

In 1985 the British Defence and Aid Fund launched the Mandela Poetry Project to mark Human Rights Day, 10 December. It asked school students to contribute poems about Nelson Mandela and other Southern African political prisoners. This poster reproduces some of the 200 poems that were written as part of the project.

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80s26. Drawing the Line: Cartoonists against apartheid

80s26. Drawing the Line: Cartoonists against apartheid

Cartoons reproduced from Anti-Apartheid News by artists including Steve Bell, Ken Sprague and Peter Clarke.

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pic8609. Performers Against Racism

pic8609. Performers Against Racism

Lenny Henry and David Yip were among the 200 entertainers at the launch of Performers Against Racism on 26 January 1986. They pledged to boycott all links with apartheid South Africa. The launch was triggered by a referendum in the actors union Equity seeking to relax the cultural boycott. Performers against Racism called for the boycott to be extended to films and video as well as radio and television.

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msc13. ‘Freedom Now’ cassette

msc13. ‘Freedom Now’ cassette

Sleeve for a cassette of freedom songs sung by Tyneside Anti-Apartheid Choir. The choir sang at many events on Tyneside in the 1980s. The cassette was produced to raise funds for Tyneside AA Group.

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lgs68. Haringey fundraising social, 1986

lgs68. Haringey fundraising social, 1986

Leaflet advertising a May Day fundraising social for the AAM organised by Haringey AA Group and Haringey Trades Union Council on 3 May 1986. The evening included live music sponsored by the Musicians Union and a speaker from the African National Congress.

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lgs80. Haringey AAM gig

lgs80. Haringey AAM gig

Leaflet advertising a fundraising gig at a north London trade union centre on 27 September 1986. The event was organised by Haringey AA Group and sponsored by the London Borough of Haringey’s Community Arts and Entertainment Department.

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po087. Lambeth Anti-Apartheid Week

po087. Lambeth Anti-Apartheid Week

Poster publicising a week of anti-apartheid events in Lambeth, south London in 1986. The week included films, exhibitions and an evening of poetry and music with rock band Misty and reggae artist Tippa Irie.

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po085. March for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

po085. March for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Poster advertising an AAM march and festival on 28 June 1986, the culmination of a month-long intensive campaign for sanctions. Thousands marched from central London to Clapham Common, where 250,000 people attended a star-studded concert organised by Artists Against Apartheid. Speakers at the concert included Thabo Mbeki of the ANC and Moses Garoeb of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO).

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80s28. Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

80s28. Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

A quarter of a million people took part in the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on London’s Clapham Common on 28 June 1986, the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. The programme, including sets by Boy George and Sting, was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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80s29. March and Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

80s29. March and Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

Programme for the AAM’s March and Festival for Freedom on 28 June 1986, the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. Thousands of people joined the march from Hyde Park to Clapham Common. At the Festival 250,000 heard a star-studded programme organised by Artists Against Apartheid. Thabo Mbeki of the ANC and Shapua Kaukugua of SWAPO asked the crowd to support the freedom struggles in South Africa and Namibia. 

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pic8611. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8611. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Thousands of people joined the AAM’s ‘March for Freedom’ from Hyde Park to Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. The march was the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. They called for an end to all British support for apartheid. At Clapham Common 250,000 took part in a Festival for Freedom with a star-studded programme organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8612. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8612. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Thousands of people joined the AAM’s ‘March for Freedom’ from Hyde Park to Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. It was the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. They called for an end to all British support for apartheid. At Clapham Common 250,000 took part in a Festival for Freedom with a star-studded programme organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8613. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8613. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Thousands of people joined the AAM’s ‘March for Freedom’ from Hyde Park to Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. It was the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. They called for an end to all British support for apartheid. At Clapham Common 250,000 took part in a Festival for Freedom with a star-studded programme organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8614. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8614. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Thousands of people joined the AAM’s ‘March for Freedom’ from Hyde Park to Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. It was the culmination of a month-long campaign for sanctions against South Africa. They called for an end to all British support for apartheid. At Clapham Common 250,000 took part in a Festival for Freedom with a star-studded programme organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8621. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8621. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

The platform at the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. 250,000 people heard performers including Sting, Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8615. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8615. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

250,000 people attended the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. Performers included Sting, Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8616. Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

pic8616. Festival for Freedom, 28 June 1986

250,000 people attended the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. Performers included Sting, Peter Gabriel, Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8617. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8617. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Peter Gabriel at the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. 250,000 people heard performers including Sting, Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8618. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8618. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Sting at the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. 250,000 people heard performers including Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8619. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8619. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Elvis Costello at the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. 250,000 people heard performers including Sting, Billy Bragg, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8620. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

pic8620. March and Festival for Freedom in Namibia and South Africa

Billy Bragg at the AAM’s Festival for Freedom on Clapham Common on 28 June 1986. 250,000 people heard performers including Sting, Maxi Priest, Gil Scott-Heron, Audio Dynamite and Hugh Masekela. The programme was organised by Artists Against Apartheid.

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pic8610. Artists against Apartheid

pic8610. Artists against Apartheid

Big Audio Dynamite, Hugh Masekela, Maxi Priest, Madness and Jerry Dammers with AAM President Trevor Huddleston.

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80s35. Artists Against Apartheid concert

80s35. Artists Against Apartheid concert

Leaflet advertising a concert headlining The Smiths, organised by Artists Against Apartheid at the Royal Albert Hall in November 1986. The concert was rescheduled because band member Johnny Marr was hurt in a car accident. It eventually took place at the Brixton Academy on 12 December. The concert was one of many high profile gigs arranged by Artists Against Apartheid to raise funds for the AAM.

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art5. ‘Not Just Mandela’ LP order form

art5. ‘Not Just Mandela’ LP order form

This LP, released by independent label Davy Lamp in 1986, featured tracks by indie rock group The Housemartins, Bill Bragg, Attila the Stockbroker and other artists. The proceeds were donated to the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

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lgs26. Mayibuye Benefit Concert

lgs26. Mayibuye Benefit Concert

Leaflet publicising a fundraising concert organised by Tower Hamlets AA Group at the Half Moon Theatre in east London in 1987. The event was sponsored by the local council’s arts committee.

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art4. Jazz Warriors concert, Hackney Empire

art4. Jazz Warriors concert, Hackney Empire

The Jazz Warriors were an all-black British jazz group including musicians Courtney Pine and Gary Crosby. This concert, held at London’s Hackney Empire on 21 March 1987, the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre, raised funds for the ANC and the London Anti-Apartheid Committee.

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art6. Electric Dream at the 100 Club

art6. Electric Dream at the 100 Club

Leaflet advertising a benefit concert for SACTU (South African Congress of Trade Unions) in 1987. The concert featured jazz and blues saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith and his Electric Dream ensemble, and Julian Bahula.

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pic8711. Royal Shakespeare Company against Apartheid

pic8711. Royal Shakespeare Company against Apartheid

Members of the Royal Shakespeare Company joined protests against the invitation to the South African Embassy to take part in the annual Shakespeare birthday celebrations at Stratford in April 1987. Fifty countries pulled out after the organisers refused to withdraw the invitation to South Africa.

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pic8738. Police arrest Stratford protester

pic8738. Police arrest Stratford protester

Police arrest a protester at a demonstration against the invitation to the South African Embassy to take part in the annual Shakespeare birthday celebrations at Stratford in April 1987. Members of the Royal Shakespeare Company joined the protests. Fifty countries pulled out after the organisers refused to withdraw the invitation to South Africa.

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po089. Peterborough Against Apartheid Festival

po089. Peterborough Against Apartheid Festival

The Peterborough Against Apartheid festival held in May 1987 featured British folk punk group ‘The Men they Couldn’t Hang’ and singer songwriter Rory McCloud, as well as stalls and speakers from the ANC and SWAPO. Over 1,000 people attended the festival, one of the most successful events ever held in the city. 

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po205. Peggy Seeger & Ewan McColl concert

po205. Peggy Seeger & Ewan McColl concert

Poster for a folk concert to raise funds for the ANC and Nottingham Anti-Apartheid at Nottingham’s Trent Polytechnic Students Union in 1987.

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art1. Poets and Writers Against Apartheid

art1. Poets and Writers Against Apartheid

Leaflet advertising an evening of poetry and music to raise funds for the British Defence and Aid Fund (BDAF), at Riverside Studios in west London on 24 May 1987. The evening featured performances from Attila the Stockbroker, Jeni Couzyn and E A Markham, and supporters included Carol Ann Duffy, Spike Milligan, Lemn Sissay and Benjamin Zephaniah. The compere was Roger McGough.

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wom24. Ealing Women’s Day celebration, 1987

wom24. Ealing Women’s Day celebration, 1987

Leaflet advertising an afternoon of videos, exhibition and stalls in support of South African women on International Women’s Day in 1987. The afternoon was followed by a gig with post-punk Artery Band. It was organised by Ealing AA Group with sponsorship from the London Borough of Ealing.

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lgs67. Hackney ANC 75th anniversary celebration, 1987

lgs67. Hackney ANC 75th anniversary celebration, 1987

Hackney AA Group joined with local community groups to organise a week of activities celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress. The week included a meeting at the Turkish Community Centre, a filmshow at the Rio Cinema, culminating in a day of music, dance and poetry at the local leisure centre on 4 July 1987. The week was sponsored by the Race Relations Unit of Hackney Borough Council.

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art10. ‘The Long March’ at the Hackney Empire

art10. ‘The Long March’ at the Hackney Empire

Poster advertising the SARMCOL Workers Co-op’s play ‘The Long March’ at the Hackney Empire, in September 1987. The play was put on by workers from the British-owned BTR factory in Howick, Natal, who were sacked after going on strike in 1986. It toured all over Britain, September–November 1997. The tour was sponsored by the British TUC.

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lgs28. Bristol Festival against Apartheid, 1987

lgs28. Bristol Festival against Apartheid, 1987

In the late 1980s Bristol AA Group held an annual Festival against Apartheid. The 1987 Festival featured filmshows, the BTR strikers play ‘The Long March’ and performances by the jazz ensemble the Grand Union Orchestra and Zimbabwean singer Lovemore Majaivana.

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lgs71. Hounslow AA Group ‘Apartheid is Bad News’ gig

lgs71. Hounslow AA Group ‘Apartheid is Bad News’ gig

Brochure advertising a free concert organised by Hounslow AA Group on 22 October 1987 at Hounslow Civic Centre. The brochure highlighted the strike by workers at the British-owned BTR company in South Africa and the AAM’s petition calling for the release of South African political detainees. The gig featured Attila the Stockbroker.

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lgs113. Merton AA Group ‘Stop the War Against Children’, 1987

lgs113. Merton AA Group ‘Stop the War Against Children’, 1987

Flyer for an evening of poetry, music and drama to raise funds for an ANC appeal, organised by Merton AA Group in 1967. Merton AA was set up in 1986.

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art8. Tsafrika programme

art8. Tsafrika programme

Leaflet advertising events promoted by the Tsafrika record label at The Town and Country Club in Camden, London and the 100 Club in 1987. They included a gig featuring Julian Bahula’s Jabula and a ‘Free South Africa’ concert by the ANC’s cultural group Amandla.

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pic8723. Petition for the release of South African detainees, 1987

pic8723. Petition for the release of South African detainees, 1987

Musicians Little Steven and Jerry Dammers sign the SATIS petition calling for the release of detainees in South Africa. Altogether 30,000 South Africans were held in detention under the State of Emergency imposed in June 1986. The petition was supported by the British Council of Churches and the TUC and signed by a third of a million people. It was presented to the South African authorities, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the UN Secretary-General on Human Rights Day, 10 December 1987.

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art7. ‘Twilight Freedom – Zulu Blood’

art7. ‘Twilight Freedom – Zulu Blood’

Promotional flyer for ‘Twilight Freedom – Zulu Blood’ by Bryan Oliver, a drama featuring life under apartheid. The show was put on by Sassafras Theatre Company and sponsored by Haringey Community Arts and Entertainment in 1987. It toured alternative theatre venues in the London boroughs of Haringey, Hounslow, Camden and Islington.

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lgs25. Greater Manchester AA Groups

lgs25. Greater Manchester AA Groups

Leaflet advertising a concert with music by South African jazz musician Dudu Pukwana's group Zila to celebrate South African Heroes Day in December 1987. The leaflet listed the regular meeting dates of local anti-apartheid groups in the Greater Manchester area and the local branch of the Namibia Support Committee.

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pic8804. Artists Against Apartheid call for Sharpeville Six release

pic8804. Artists Against Apartheid call for Sharpeville Six release

Artists Against Apartheid called for the release of the Sharpeville Six, 16 March 1988. In the photograph with Trevor Huddleston are (l to r) Jerry Dammers, Pat and Greg Kane from the pop duo Hue and Cry, and Suggs from the ska band Madness. The Sharpeville Six were sentenced to death in December 1985 because they were present at a protest where black collaborators were killed. In December 1987 the South African Appeal Court rejected their appeal for clemency. After an international campaign their sentence was commuted in July 1988.

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lgs36. SWAPO Benefit Concert

lgs36. SWAPO Benefit Concert

Leaflet advertising a Latin American music night to raise funds for the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) in 1988. The concert was organised by Camden AA Group and Kings Cross Labour Party in central London.

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lgs90. Ealing Anti-Apartheid Festival, 1988

lgs90. Ealing Anti-Apartheid Festival, 1988

Leaflet publicising an Anti-Apartheid Festival in Southall Park, West London on 18 June 1988. The Festival featured South African jazz musician Jonas Gwangwa and poet Benjamin Zephaniah, as well as children’s events and food stalls. It was organised by Ealing AA Group, with support from the London Borough of Ealing.

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mda40. Nelson Mandela: 70th Birthday Tribute concert programme

mda40. Nelson Mandela: 70th Birthday Tribute concert programme

The Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988 was attended by a capacity audience of 72,000 and broadcast to over 60 countries. The concert was the opening event in the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. The concert programme carried features on the artists taking part, including Stevie Wonder, Whoopi Goldberg, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Sting, Dire Straits and Simple Minds.

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po100. Nelson Mandela: 70th Birthday Tribute

po100. Nelson Mandela: 70th Birthday Tribute

Poster advertising the concert held at Wembley Stadium on 11 June 1988 as part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast to ove 60 countries with a potential audience of a billion people. Oliver Tambo was the guest of honour and Stevie Wonder, Whitney and Sting were among the performers.

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pic8817. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8817. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

The Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988, was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8818. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8818. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

The Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988, was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8819. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8819. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

The Bee Gees at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8820. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8820. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

Annie Lennox at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8821. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8821. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

Richard Gere at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8822. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8822. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

George Michael at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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pic8823. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

pic8823. Nelson Mandela birthday concert

Little Steven and Jim Kerr at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

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po150. Mandela birthday concert

po150. Mandela birthday concert

Poster advertising a concert held to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday on 18 July 1988. The concert featured the Zimbabwean group the Bhundu Boys, calypsonian David Rudder and Orchestra Marrabenta from Mozambique. It took place at The Academy, a major rock venue in Brixton, home of one of London’s biggest black communities.

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mda29. Mandela birthday concert

mda29. Mandela birthday concert

This concert celebrating Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday on 18 July 1988 featured the Zimbabwean group, the Bhundu Boys, calypsonian David Rudder and Orchestra Marrabenta from Mozambique. It took place at The Academy, a major rock venue in Brixton, home of one of London’s biggest black communities.

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mda46. Celebrating Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday in Nottingham

mda46. Celebrating Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday in Nottingham

Leaflet publicising a concert to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday organised by Nottingham AA Group. It featured La Danza Continua. Events like this were held all over Britain.

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lgs105. ‘Unification’ gig, Derby

lgs105. ‘Unification’ gig, Derby

Flyer advertising a gig at the Assembly Rooms, Derby in September 1988. The concert was organised by Derby AA Group in partnership with the Afro-Caribbean community organisation, The Hadhari Project, which provided care for elderly people. The gig featured bands from Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, and was advertised throughout the East Midlands. Half the proceeds were given to the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College.

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lgs116. Merseyside AA Group newsletter, August 1988

lgs116. Merseyside AA Group newsletter, August 1988

This edition of Merseyside AA Group’s newsletter reported on a concert celebrating Nelson Mandela’s birthday by the local community in Liverpool 8. The concert headlined Ministry of Love and the Bhundu Boys. The newsletter asked for support for the Sharpevile Six and publicised the group’s regular pickets of the local branch of Tesco and Shell garage.

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tu45. Sisters of the Long March

tu45. Sisters of the Long March

Front cover of a booklet about the ‘Sisters of the Long March’, a South African theatre group that toured Britain, September–December 1988, to win support for South African workers in their long-running dispute with the British-owned company BTR Sarmcol. The Sisters were a seven-woman song and dance group from Natal. They took their show to over 20 venues all over the country. The year before, a theatre group set up by the BTR workers brought their play about the strike ‘The Long March’ to Britain. Both tours were sponsored by the British TUC and supported by the AAM. 

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art9. ‘A Night for Nelson Mandela’

art9. ‘A Night for Nelson Mandela’

London AA Committee flyer publicising a concert at The Fridge, Brixton in December 1988. It featured Jonah Moyo and Devera Ngwena from Zimbabwe and was sponsored by the journalists trade union NUJ.

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pic8842. AAM raffle prize presentation, 1988

pic8842. AAM raffle prize presentation, 1988

Actor Leonard Fenton, a stars of the TV soap EastEnders, presented the first prize of a holiday in China in the AAM’s 1988 Prize Raffle. Fundraising was an important part of the AAM’s activities. It depended entirely on small donations and fundraising projects and received no grants from government or major donor institutions.

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lgs41. ‘Boycott Apartheid 89’ Tyneside

lgs41. ‘Boycott Apartheid 89’ Tyneside

Local AA groups all over Britain organised activities as part of the AAM’s ‘Boycott Apartheid 1989’ campaign. Tyneside AA Group asked the supermarket chain William Laws to reinstate a local worker sacked for refusing to handle South African fruit. This leaflet publicised its Boycott Conference and a fundraising concert for workers on strike at BTR in South Africa.

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po111. Boycott Apartheid 89

po111. Boycott Apartheid 89

Poster advertising a benefit concert at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill, West London organised by Notting Hill Anti-Apartheid Group. The gig featured ska/rap band Ruff Ruff and Ready. The AAM received no government or large institutional grants and depended on membership subscriptions and events like this for funding.

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wom22. International Women’s Day concert

wom22. International Women’s Day concert

Many local AA groups organised women’s campaigns in solidarity with their sisters in Southern Africa. This leaflet advertised a women only concert orgaised by Sheffield AAM women members on International Women’s Day 1989 to raise funds for women in Southern Africa.

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80s53. AAM 30th anniversary

80s53. AAM 30th anniversary

The AAM celebrated the 30th anniversary of its founding as the Boycott Movement in 1959 with a fundraising concert at the Camden Centre in central London. It featured Bushmen Don't Surf, the Kafala Brothers from Angola and South African jazz musician Julian Bahula.

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lgs102. Festival of Freedom, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

lgs102. Festival of Freedom, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

Flyer advertising a conference and fundraising concert at Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre in 1989. The conference included workshops on women’s lives under apartheid, Namibia, South African trade unions and the front-line states. It was followed by an evening benefit for the Namibian election fund by the Cardiff group Meltdown.

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lgs37. Bristol Festival against Apartheid 1989

lgs37. Bristol Festival against Apartheid 1989

In the late 1980s Bristol AA Group held an annual Festival against Apartheid. The 1989 Festival had an ambitious two-week programme featuring music from Southern Africa, an exhibition of Zimbabwean artworks and a children’s day with workshops on gumboot dancing, circus skills and drama.

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po141. Bristol Festival against Apartheid

po141. Bristol Festival against Apartheid

Poster advertising Bristol AA Group’s 1989 Festival against Apartheid. The Festival had an ambitious two-week programme featuring music from Southern Africa, an exhibition of Zimbabwean artworks and a children’s day with workshops on gumboot dancing, circus skills and drama.

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lgs38. North-East Wales Freedom Festival

lgs38. North-East Wales Freedom Festival

This Festival brought together speakers from the Namibia Support Committee and Wales AAM with the Cuban ambassador, who spoke about his country’s support for Angola against South African aggression. The conference was followed by an evening concert with music from the Cardiff Red Choir and singer songwriter Maria Tolly.

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lgs119. ‘Rock Against Apartheid, Cheltenham, 1990

lgs119. ‘Rock Against Apartheid, Cheltenham, 1990

Flyer for a rock concert organised by Cheltenham AA Group and sixth form students at Bournside High School, Cheltenham in February 1990. The students set up an anti-apartheid group which held a week of events to raise awareness of apartheid culminating in a debate on sanctions against South Africa in November 1989. The concert raised funds for multiracial schools in South Africa. 

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mda32. 7 Nights for Nelson

mda32. 7 Nights for Nelson

A week of music and poetry in venues all over London led up to the second Mandela Wembley concert on 16 April 1990. 

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lgs121. ‘Freedom for Mandela’ party, Cheltenham, 1990

lgs121. ‘Freedom for Mandela’ party, Cheltenham, 1990

Flyer advertising a party and evening of dance music to raise funds for the ANC in March 1990. The evening featured ‘Beat the Border’ with Ugandan musician Geoffrey Oryema.

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mda41. International Tribute for a Free South Africa concert programme, 1990

mda41. International Tribute for a Free South Africa concert programme, 1990

Two months after his release, Nelson Mandela attended a second Wembley Stadium concert held on 16 April 1990. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 76,000 people and broadcast around the world. Mandela thanked the hundreds of thousands of people who had campaigned for his freedom and called for the continued isolation of South Africa until it had been transformed into a non-racial democracy.

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pic9015. Nelson Mandela at Wembley

pic9015. Nelson Mandela at Wembley

Nelson Mandela at the Wembley concert held on 16 April 1990.

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lgs43. Glasgow Festival against Apartheid

lgs43. Glasgow Festival against Apartheid

 

This festival was organised by Glasgow North-West AA Group as part of Glasgow’s 1990 European City of Culture celebrations. It featured African and Asian dance and the Zambian band Masusu.

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90s09. Sechaba Festival, Glasgow

90s09. Sechaba Festival, Glasgow

As part of Glasgow’s 1990 European City of Culture celebrations, Mandela Club Nights showcased bands from Southern Africa. The Sechaba Festival brought 60 South African poets, musicians, actors and dancers to Glasgow in a two-week programme of events. The Festival included a five-day international conference on cultural resistance to apartheid, and performances, exhibitions and films. The Club and the Festival were organised by Sechaba Festivals Ltd., established by the Scottish AAM Committee and the STUC with support from Glasgow City and Strathclyde Regional Councils and individual trade unions.

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po167. Lambeth Concert poster

po167. Lambeth Concert poster

Poster advertising a concert by South African musician and political activist Mbuli Mzwakwe at Lambeth Town Hall, south London on 7 December 1990. Concerts featuring music from Southern Africa played a big part in attracting support in Britain for the Southern African liberation struggle in the 1980s and early 1990s. This concert was one of many such events sponsored by the London Borough of Lambeth.

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lgs45. Bath Anti-Apartheid Concert

lgs45. Bath Anti-Apartheid Concert

Leaflet publicising a fundraising concert of Latin American concert organised by Bath AA Group in 1991.

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lgs19. ‘Rock against apartheid’

lgs19. ‘Rock against apartheid’

Leaflet publicising a fundraising concert, 'Rock Against Apartheid', organised by Birmingham AA Group and Birmingham Trades Council in 1992.

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po206. Nottingham concert poster

po206. Nottingham concert poster

Poster for a concert to raise funds for the ANC election campaign in South Africa’s first democratic election in April 1994. The concert was organised by Nottingham anti-apartheid supporters and was supported by Nottingham City Council. It took place in the Marcus Garvey Centre, an Afro-Caribbean community centre in Nottingham’s Lenton district, and featured the Zimbabwean group, the Bhundu Boys.

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mda36. Inauguration Day Party

mda36. Inauguration Day Party


Leaflet advertising 'The Free at Last Party, a concert at London's Astoria to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as President of South Africa on 10 May 1994.

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po161. ‘Viva South Africa’ concert, 1994

po161. ‘Viva South Africa’ concert, 1994

Poster advertising a concert on 9 July 1994 celebrating South Africa’s first democratic election. The concert featured an all star line-up of South African artists, including Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Lucky Dube, Black Ladysmith Mambazo and Brenda Fassie. It was organised by Islington Council in north London.

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int31t. Jerry Dammers transcript

int31t. Jerry Dammers transcript

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

This is a complete transcript of an interview carried out as part of the Forward to Freedom AAM history project in 2013.

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int31a1. Jerry Dammers interview clip 1

int31a1. Jerry Dammers interview clip 1

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

In this clip he taks about how he came to write ‘Free Nelson Mandela’.

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int31a2. Jerry Dammers interview clip 2

int31a2. Jerry Dammers interview clip 2

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

In this longer clip (approximately 30 minutes) Jerry taks about his anti-apartheid work.

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Professions Against Apartheid

Lawyers against apartheid

RAISING AWARENESS OF APARTHEID

Healthworkers, architects and lawyers all set up groups to raise awareness of the impact of apartheid in their own professional areas. They campaigned to end the links between British and international organisations and whites only bodies in South Africa. As resistance to apartheid grew, they supported their South African colleagues in their fight against racial segregation.

Read more …

Black Solidarity Against Apartheid

March to demand British sanctions against South Africa

A SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY

From the early 1950s Britain’s growing black community felt a special responsibility to help their brothers and sisters living under apartheid in South Africa. Black groups in Britain supported the peoples of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Angola and Mozambique fighting guerrilla wars against white minority regimes. 

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Local Anti-Apartheid Groups

Hackney and Tower Hamlets AA Group

BOYCOTTING APARTHEID

The Anti-Apartheid Movement’s local groups gave it a presence all over Britain. Some groups had hundreds of members and links to trade unions, churches and community organisations. Others were kept going by a few dedicated activists.

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Students Against Apartheid

Soweto anniversary demonstration

DISINVESTMENT CAMPAIGNS

Students were at the forefront of Anti-Apartheid Movement campaigns. They collected funds for the Southern African liberation movements, campaigned against investment in apartheid and took action in solidarity with students in South Africa. In 1969/70 students took the lead in direct action and mass demonstrations against the rugby and cricket Springbok tours.

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Multi-Faith Action

A Sikh contingent on the AAM’s March

MULTI-FAITH INITIATIVES

The Anti-Apartheid Movement reached out to involve people of all faiths in campaigning against apartheid. Its Multi-Faith Committee was set up at an Inter-Faith Colloquium on Apartheid organised by AAM President Trevor Huddleston in 1984. The Colloquium was attended by Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs. The group worked to increase awareness of the evils of apartheid among people of faith.

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Women Against Apartheid

Women from the ANC Women’s Section

Women played a special part in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. They highlighted the ways in which black women in Southern Africa were doubly oppressed – as black people and as women. They campaigned for women throughout the Southern African region, in Zimbabwe, Namibia and the front-line states, as well as in South Africa.

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Local Authorities Against Apartheid

ANC President Oliver Tambo

COUNCIL BOYCOTTS

Many local councils boycotted South African products in the Boycott Movement’s March Month of Action in 1960, the first British boycott campaign. By the mid-1960s, 54 councils were banning goods from South Africa from their offices and schools, many of them in Wales. In Scotland, the huge Strathclyde Regional Council imposed a ban in 1975.

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Trade Unions Against Apartheid

Trade union banners on a march to Trafalgar Square

British trade union support underpinned the Anti-Apartheid Movement in the 1980s. By 1990, 43 national trade unions, including every major union, were affiliated to the AAM. The AAM worked at every level of the  movement. It lobbied union leaders and held conferences and workshops for rank and file trade unionists.

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