Apartheid: Nelson Mandela and Apartheid Liberation Movement Essay

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Apartheid In 1948, when the National Party ruled South Africa, the apartheid became law. Apartheid is an Afrikaans word for separateness or segregation. During this time the population of South Africa was consist of four racial groups and each had their own inherited culture. The four races were the whites, the Colored, Indians, and Africans. The Whites believed that they were the civilized and superior race, so that they were allowed absolute power over the state. The Whites believed that their interests prevailed over that of the blacks, so the state was not required to provide equal facilities for all the subordinate races. Although there were more blacks than there were Whites, the White racial group managed to have a tight grip on the blacks. They formed a single nation, while African belonged to several nations. This made them the largest nation in the entire country. Many individual found that the Apartheid was very unjust and tried to end it. Some individuals that helped end the apartheid include Charlotte Maxeke,Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Desmond Tutu, Steve Biko, F.W. DeKlerk,, and Nelson Mandela. While everyone did contribute in helping to end the apartheid, Nelson Mandela should be most credited with the termination of the apartheid. Even though no one has helped the end the apartheid as much as Nelson Mandela, many individuals do deserve to be recognized for what they have done. Charlotte Maxeke was an early reformer who wanted equal rights. She was a religious leader and a political activist. She was the president of Women’s Missionary Society. Maxeke was active in anti-pass law demonstrations which eventually led her to found the Bantu Women’s League. She was probably one of the first people to take the first steps toward ending the apartheid however; her steps were not significant enough. Walter Sisulu was an anti-apartheid activist and also a member of ANC along with Oliver Tambo. Sisulu fought the apartheid with violence and organized protests. He was awarded Isitwalandwe Seaparankoe, the highest honors the ANC awards. Tambo was a politician who was strictly against the apartheid. He was the central figure of the ANC. He changed the way that the ANC fought against the apartheid and racism laws. Tambo introduced boycotts, civil disobedience, and strikes to the ANC. In the 1980’s, he was president of the ANC. Mangosuthu Buthelezi founded the Inkata Freedom Party in 1975, however when it broke off of ANC, their relationship deteriorated. He also formed the South African Black Alliance. Desmond Tutu also was against the apartheid and wanted equal rights and education for all. He was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He fought for human rights. Steve Biko was very influential as well, who founded the Black Consciousness movement. He was known as “Father of Black Consciousness” and tired to use non-violent tactics to attack the apartheid. Although he first liked the apartheid, eventually F.W. DeKlerk eventually opposed the apartheid. He released Mandela and was the first
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