Steven Wheatley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Many others were not so lucky: 69 unarmed and non-violent protesters were gunned down by theSouth Africanpolice and hundreds more were injured. "[6]:p.538, The uproar among South Africa's black population was immediate, and the following week saw demonstrations, protest marches, strikes, and riots around the country. Some of them had been on duty for over twenty-four hours without respite. Courtesy BaileySeippel Gallery/BAHA Source. However, the police simply took down the protesters names and did not arrest anyone. Selinah was shot in her leg but survived the massacre. Weve been busy, working hard to bring you new features and an updated design. A protest that had been scheduled three days earlier was planned for noon on Monday, May 4. We need the voices of young people to break through the silence that locks in discrimination and oppression. International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. One way of accomplishing this was by instilling laws thatd force segregation, classification, educational requirements, and economic purposes. This shows a significant similarity in that both time periods leaders attempted to achieve the goal of ending. Although blood was not shed on Krogs hands directly, she took on the shame of her race. The mood of the protest had started out as peaceful and festive when there were . "The aeroplanes were flying high and low. These laws restricted blacks movements within the country. Non-compliance with the race laws were dealt with harshly. The Sharpeville massacre was a turning point in South African history. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The PAC and the African National Congress, another antiapartheid party, were banned. apartheid: aftermath of the deadly Sharpeville demonstration, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/event/Sharpeville-massacre, Canadian Museum for Human Rights - The Sharpeville Massacre, South African History Online - Sharpeville Massacre, Sharpeville massacre - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Sharpeville massacre - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Massacre in Sharpeville. And then there are those who feel deeply involved and moved, but also powerless to deal with the enormity of the situation (Krog 221). The incident resulted in the largest number of South African deaths (up to that point) in a protest against apartheid. The police response to the protest became the primary cause of the massacre. According to his "Testimony about the Launch of the Campaign," Sobukwe declared: To read more witness accounts of the Sharpeville Massacre, click on the, According to an account from Humphrey Tyler, the assistant editor at, Afrikaner Nationalism, Anglo American and Iscor: formation of Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation, 1960-70 in Business History", The Sharpeville Massacre: Its historic significance in the struggle against apartheid, The PAC's War against the State 1960-1963, in The Road to Democracy in South Africa: 1960-1970, The Sharpeville Massacre - A watershed in SouthAfrica, Saluting Sharpevilles heroes, and South Africa's human rights, New Books | Robert Sobukwes letters from prison, South African major mass killings timeline 1900-2012, Origins: Formation, Sharpeville and banning, 1959-1960, 1960-1966: The genesis of the armed struggle, Womens resistance in the 1960s - Sharpeville and its aftermath, Eyewitness accounts of the Sharpeville massacre 1960, List of victims of police action, 21 March, 1960 (Sharpeville and Langa), A tragic turning-point: remembering Sharpeville fifty years on by Paul Maylam, Apartheid: Sharpeville Massacre, 21 March 1960, Commission of Enquiry into the Occurrences at Sharpeville (and other places) on the 21st March, 1960, Volume 1, Johannesburg, 15 June 1960, Commission of Enquiry into the Occurrences at Sharpeville (and other places) on the 21st March, 1960, Volume 2, Johannesburg, 15 June 1960, Documents, and articles relating to the Sharpeville Massacre 1960, Editorial comment: The legacy of Sharpeville, From Our Vault: Sharpeville, A Crime That Still Echoes by J Brooks Spector, 21 March 2013, South Africa, Message to the PAC on Sharpeville Day by Livingstone Mqotsi, Notes on the origins of the movement for Sanctions against South Africa by E.S. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. (1997) Focus: 'Prisoner 1', Sunday Life, 23 March. The Black Consciousness Movement sparked mass protests among Blacks and prompted other liberation movements to demonstrate against the apartheid. Some 20,000 Blacks gathered near a police station at Sharpeville, located about 30 miles (50 km) south of Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela was a member of the banned African National Congress and led an underground armed movement that opposed the apartheid by attacking government buildings in South Africa during the early 1960s. [16], The Sharpeville massacre contributed to the banning of the PAC and ANC as illegal organisations. Stephen Wheatley is a professor of international law at Lancaster University. On This Day in History: The Sharpeville Massacre The Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), a splinter group of the African National Congress (ANC) created in 1959, organized a countrywide demonstration for March 21, 1960, for the abolition of South Africas pass laws. Time Magazine, (1960), The Sharpeville Massacre, A short history of pass laws in South Africa [online], from, Giliomee et al. Within hours the news of the killing at Sharpeville was flashed around the world. Robert Sobukwe and other leaders were arrested and detained after the Sharpeville massacre, some for nearly three years after the incident. As well as the introduction of the Race Convention, Sharpeville also spurred other moves at the UN that changed the way it could act against countries that breached an individuals human rights. Sharpeville Massacre - The Presidential Years - Nelson Mandela The incident resulted in the largest number of South African deaths (up to that point) in a protest against apartheid . Similarly, African American leaders from the fifties to the sixties also fought for the end of segregation, in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education. [13], A storm of international protest followed the Sharpeville shootings, including sympathetic demonstrations in many countries[14][15] and condemnation by the United Nations. This shows a major similarity as they wanted to achieve the same things. We hope you and your family enjoy the NEW Britannica Kids. The Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa - Owlcation These resolutions established two important principles: that the human rights provisions in the UN Charter created binding obligations for member states, and the UN could intervene directly in situations involving serious violations of human rights. Police officers attempted to use tear gas to repel these advances, but it proved ineffectual, and the police fell back on the use of their batons. The Sharpeville massacre. Despite the Sharpeville massacre feeling seismic in its brutality, "we all thought at that moment that it would cause a change in the political situation in South Africa," said Berry - "it was really ten years before anything changed." . [4] Leading up to the Sharpeville massacre, the National Party administration under the leadership of Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd used these laws to enforce greater racial segregation[5] and, in 19591960, extended them to include women. In 1994, Mandela signed the nations first post-apartheid constitution near the site of the 1960 massacre. Many of the civilians present attended voluntarily to support the protest, but there is evidence that the PAC also used coercive means to draw the crowd there, including the cutting of telephone lines into Sharpeville, and preventing bus drivers from driving their routes. The event also played a role in South Africa's departure from the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961. During the Eisenhower administration, Congress passed two measures that proved to be ineffective: the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and the Civil Rights Act of 1960. [21], In 1998, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) found that the police actions constituted "gross human rights violations in that excessive force was unnecessarily used to stop a gathering of unarmed people. Journalists who rushed there from other areas, after receiving word that the campaign was a runaway success confirmed "that for all their singing and shouting the crowd's mood was more festive than belligerent" (David M. Sibeko, 1976). Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of the day that changed the course of South African history. These two industries experienced rapid growth in the immediate aftermath of World War II and continued growing into the 1950s and 1960s. (2007), New History of South Africa. The Apartheid was initiated as a ploy for Europeans to better control the exploited populations for economic gain, as maintaining tension between the different racial classifications diverted attention from the Europeans as it fed hatred between groups. How the Sharpeville massacre changed the course of human rights The logjam was only broken after the Sharpeville massacre as the UN decided to deal with the problem of apartheid South Africa. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd. March 21 is a public holiday in South Africa in commemoration of the Sharpeville massacre. It was adopted on 21 December 1965. Accounting & Finance; Business, Companies and Organisation, Activity; Case Studies; Economy & Economics; Marketing and Markets; People in Business He was followed by Dr. Yusuf Dadoo, Chairperson of the South African Indian Congress and Chairperson of the underground South African Communist Party. It was one of the first and most violent demonstrations against apartheid in South Africa. Both organisations were deemed a serious threat to the safety of the public and the vote stood at 128 to 16 in favour of the banning. Eyewitness accounts of the Sharpeville massacre 1960 The day of the Massacre, mourning the dead and getting over the shock of the event Baileys African History Archive (BAHA) Tom Petrus, author of 'My Life Struggle', Ravan Press. [6]:p.534, By 10:00, a large crowd had gathered, and the atmosphere was initially peaceful and festive. Later, in the fifties and the sixties, these same goals, enlign poll taxes and literacy tests, were once again fought for by African American leaders, through advocacy and agitation. The logjam was only broken after the Sharpeville massacre, as the UN decided to deal with the problem of apartheid South Africa. Sharpeville massacre - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help BBC World Service - Witness History, The Sharpeville massacre Although the protests were anticipated, no one could have predicted the consequences and the repercussions this would have for South African and world politics. This caused many other countries to criticize South Africas apartheid policy. All the evidence points to the gathering being peaceful and good-humoured. The Sharpsville Massacre was a seminal moment in the history of South Africa. March 21 Massacre in Sharpeville In the Black township of Sharpeville, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Afrikaner police open fire on a group of unarmed Black South African demonstrators,. . Following the dismantling of apartheid, South African President Nelson Mandela chose Sharpeville as the site at which, on December 10, 1996, he signed into law the countrys new constitution. In 1960 it was the site of one of the earliest and most violent demonstrations against apartheid. In March 1960, Robert Sobukwe, a leader in the anti-apartheid Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) organized the towns first anti-apartheid protest. The Supreme Courts decision in the famous and landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 set a precedent for desegregation in schools. Witness History. It is likely that the police were quick to fire as two months before the massacre, nine constables had been assaulted and killed, some disembowelled, during a raid at Cato Manor. Throughout the 1950s, South African blacks intensified their resistance against the oppressive apartheid system. Perseverance and determination are also needed to build on the lessons learnedfrom the Sharpeville tragedy and repair the injustices of the past. The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. As part of its response, the General Assembly tasked the UN Commission on Human Rights to prepare the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the first global human rights treaty. We must listen to them, learn from them, and work with them to build a better future.. To read more about the protests in Cape Town. The central issues stem from 50 years of apartheid include poverty, income inequality, land ownership rates and many other long term affects that still plague the brunt of the South African population while the small white minority still enjoy much of the wealth, most of the land and opportunities, Oppression is at the root of many of the most serious, enduring conflicts in the world today. According to the police, protesters began to stone them and, without any warning, one of the policemen on the top of an armoured car panicked and opened fire. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. Pass Laws and Sharpeville Massacre | South African History Online The police assembled and used disproportionate responses to the protest. The 1960 Sharpeville Massacre was the result of a peaceful protest regarding racist South African policies of apartheid. The enforcement of Pass Laws and the reissue of laws that restricted the. Aftermath: Sharpeville Massacre 1960 | South African History Online The ban remained in effect until August 31, 1960. The march leaders were detained, but released on the same day with threats from the commanding officer of Caledon Square, Terry Tereblanche, that once the tense political situation improved people would be forced to carry passes again in Cape Town. Under the country's National Party government, African residents in urban districts were subject to influx control measures. When the news of the Sharpeville Massacre reached Cape Town a group of between 1000 to 5000 protestors gathered at the Langa Flats bus terminus around 17h00 on 21 March 1960. Sixty-nine Africans were killed and 186 were wounded, with most shot in the back. It authorized the limited use of arms and sabotage against the government, which got the governments attentionand its anger! In my own research, I have looked to complexity theory a theory developed in the natural sciences to make sense of the ways that patterns of behaviour emerge and change to understand the way that international human rights law developed and evolved. The argument against apartheid was now framed as a specific manifestation of a wider battle for human rights and it was the only political system mentioned in the 1965 Race Convention: nazism and antisemitism were not included. As they attempted to disperse the crowd, a police officer was knocked down and many in the crowd began to move forward to see what had happened. In 1946, the UN established the Commission on Human Rights, whose first job was to draft a declaration on human rights. Expert Answers. The Sharpeville Massacre On the morning of March 21, 1960, several thousand residents of Sharpeville marched to the township's police station. Knowing the democracy we have today was achieved in part because of the blood we sacrificed was worth it, she says. What were the consequences of the Sharpeville Massacre? Another officer interpreted this as an order and opened fire, triggering a lethal fusillade as 168 police constables followed his example. Sharpeville Massacre - YouTube Freedom Now Suite includes the composition Tears for Johannesburg in response to the massacre. What were the causes of the Sharpeville Massacre? - eNotes At least 180 were wounded. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. The, For one, African American leaders in the 90s to the 20s attempted to end the disenfranchisement of African Americans, done through poll taxes and literacy tests, by advocating their cause in the more sympathetic North. The PAC called on its supporters to leave their passes at home on the appointed date and gather at police stations around the country, making themselves available for arrest. Sharpeville massacre, (March 21, 1960), incident in the Black township of Sharpeville, near Vereeniging, South Africa, in which police fired on a crowd of Black people, killing or wounding some 250 of them. The rally began peacefully, the iron bell was rung (usually it was rung to signal victories in football games) and one speaker started to speak. The massacre was one of the catalysts for a shift from passive resistance to armed resistance by these organisations. The events also prompted theInternational Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discriminationwhich took effect on 4 January 1969. In 1960, states had no binding international human rights obligations and there were no oversight mechanisms. Later the crowd grew to about 20,000,[5] and the mood was described as "ugly",[5] prompting about 130 police reinforcements, supported by four Saracen armoured personnel carriers, to be rushed in. On the same day, the government responded by declaring a state of emergency and banning all public meetings. On the 60th anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre, the world should remember the contingency and fragility of the international human rights law system that we so easily take for granted today. The argument against apartheid was now framed as a specific manifestation of a wider battle for human rights, and it was the only political system mentioned in the convention: Nazism and antisemitism were not included. Omissions? In March 1960, South African police shot dead 69 black protestors, sparking worldwide outrage . In Cape Town, an estimated 95% of the African population and a substantial number of the Coloured community joined the stay away. [2] In present-day South Africa, 21 March is celebrated as a public holiday in honour of human rights and to commemorate the Sharpeville massacre. By lunchtime, the crowd outside the police station had grown to an estimated 20,000 people. Policemen in Cape Town were forcing Africans back to work with batons and sjamboks, and four people were shot and killed in Durban. These protestors included a large number of northern college students. However, Foreign Consulates were flooded with requests for emigration, and fearful White South Africans armed themselves. The massacre occurred at the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville, A child demonstrates in front of Johannesburgs city hall after the Sharpeville massacre (AFP/Getty), The aftermath of the Sharpeville massacre, The BritishAnti-Apartheid Movement marks the tenth anniversary of the massacre with a re-enactmentin Trafalgar Square, A family member stands next to a memorial toone of the victims of the Sharpeville massacre ahead of Human Rights Day in 2016 (AFP/Getty), Its been 60 years since dozens of protesters were killed at a peaceful anti-apartheid rally in South Africa. By 1960, however, anti-apartheid activism reached the town. 20072023 Blackpast.org. It was a system of segregation put in place by the National Party, which governed in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Krog was one of these Afrikaners. The PAC argued that if thousands of people were arrested, then the jails would be filled and the economy would come to a standstill. Following the Sharpeville massacre, as it came to be known, the death toll rose to 69 and the number of injuries to 180. The South African Police (SAP) opened fire on the crowd when the crowd started advancing toward the fence around the police station; tear-gas had proved ineffectual. Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. Following the Brown decision, grassroots African American activists began challenging segregation through protests continuing into the 1960s (Aiken et al., 2013). It was adopted on December 21 1965. The quest for international support, mass mobilization, armed operations, and underground organization became the basis for the ANCs Four Pillars of Struggle. The South African governments repressive measures in response to the Sharpeville Massacre, however, intensified and expended the opposition to apartheid, ushering in three decades of resistance and protest in the country and increasing condemnation by world leaders.