Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning

On #InternationalWomensDay, we salute the women who fought against Apartheid in South Africa and in the UK solidarity movement. Today, we shine a light on three remarkable women who worked for the ANC in exile—in the UK, France, and Mozambique. 🖼️ Their portraits shown here (L-R in the order set out below), were created by students at EGA School for the hoardings protecting the facade of 28 Penton Street, Islington whilst our building works are ongoing to create the future 'Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre. 📜 Ruth Mompati (1925-2015) was a teacher-turned-freedom fighter. She worked at Mandela and Tambo’s law firm, helped lead the 1956 Women’s March, and represented the ANC in the UK before serving as an ambassador in democratic South Africa. Portrait by Florence, year 9 EGA School. 📜 Ruth First (1925-1982) was a journalist, writer, and academic. Her activism led to arrest and imprisonment. A Treason Trialist, she later went into exile, living with her family in London and Mozambique. But the apartheid regime still saw her as a threat. She was assassinated in Maputo by a parcel bomb. Portrait by Lorin, year 9 EGA School. 📜 Dulcie September (1935-1988) endured imprisonment and torture before going into exile, first in the UK. As ANC Chief Representative in France, she fought against apartheid until she was assassinated outside the ANC’s Paris office. No one has been charged for her murder. Portrait by Sophia, year 9 EGA School. Their courage and sacrifice live on. Read more about these three women, and the project to create their portraits, on our website https://lnkd.in/e68Pz-gg 🌍✊🏽✊🏼✊🏾 #WomensDay #SheFoughtBack #AntiApartheid #RuthFirst #RuthMompati #DulcieSeptember #HerStory #WomenInHistory #Heritage #Activists #FreedomFighters #IWD #IWD2025 #EGASchool #Islington

📚 EVENT: 'Black Britain and Nelson Mandela' Book Launch 📚 Senate House Library & SOAS Library are hosting the London launch of 'Black Britain and Nelson Mandela', bringing together a panel of distinguished speakers to discuss the book’s themes, insights, and significance. ‘Black Britain and Nelson Mandela’ is an exploration of Nelson Mandela’s legacy on Black intellectual thought on race and social justice in Britain. Dr. Elizabeth Williams, Editor and contributing author, is one of the Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning advisory group members. 📅 14 March, 6-7:30pm 📍 Senate House Speakers at the event include several of the book's contributing authors: 🗣️ Christopher Roy Zembe 🗣️ Dr Gregory Alake 🗣️ Nadia Joseph (our Heritage Participation Lead) 🗣️ Dr Sireita Mullings Moderator for the event, Prof. Augustine (Gus) John 🔗 Book now https://lnkd.in/gBdWKZA4 #Mandela #BlackBritain #Booklaunch

#OnThisDay, we join the Naidoo family in celebrating Shantavothie (Shanthie) Naidoo on her 90th birthday. Born on March 6, 1935, in Pretoria, South Africa, the eldest of five siblings for parents Ama and Thambi (Naran) Naidoo. Shanthie’s dedication to justice and equality is an inspiration. From her early activism organising school boycotts and her work for the Transvaal Indian Youth Congress and the Federation of South African Women, Shanthie’s lifelong commitment to the anti-apartheid struggle is a central part of the Naidoo family’s inspiring legacy. Her activism led to multiple arrests, long periods of solitary confinement, and the denial of an exit permit from South Africa. In 1972, Shanthie went into exile in the UK, continuing her anti-apartheid activism through her work for the African National Congress (ANC)'s Women's section, the International Defence and Aid Fund and the Anti-Apartheid Movement's SATIS (Southern Africa the Imprisoned Society) before joining the ANC school in Mazimbu, Tanzania. She returned to South Africa in 1991, where she remains a living testament to resilience, courage, and the fight for justice. The Naidoo family’s rich heritage of activism, including their role in founding the Satyagraha movement and resisting apartheid, continues to inspire generations. As they celebrate Shanthie's milestone birthday today, we honour her extraordinary life and the enduring impact of her work. Learn more about Shanthie’s contribution to the anti-apartheid movement in our resource (an Anti-Apartheid Legacy collaboration with the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives and the University of East Anglia with Dr Nicholas Grant, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund) : 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eBA7VZPK and download the PDF about Shanthie https://lnkd.in/eUKfYDNn #ShanthieNaidoo #NaidooFamilyLegacy #AntiApartheidLegacy #WomenInResistance #LegacyOfCourage #Activism #Justice #SouthAfrica #Heritage #Satyagraha #90YearsStrong #OTD

🎨 All Shall Be Afforded Dignity! – An Exhibition by Norman Kaplan 🖼️ 📍 The Portico Library 📅 14th March – 24th April 2025 Join us in the North West of England to engage with this powerful travelling exhibition, showcasing the artwork of Norman Kaplan—an artist and activist whose linocuts and political cartoons chronicle apartheid, exile, and post-liberation South Africa. 🌟 Preview Evening: 13th March, 6-7.30pm, welcome and talks at 6.30pm 🎟️ Free to attend, but registration required (link below) At the heart of the exhibition is All Shall Be Afforded Dignity, a striking linocut by Kaplan evoking reflection on the values of dignity, democracy, and the enduring human spirit. Shown here is South Africa’s Bill of Rights (1996) celebrating the nation’s hard-won democracy, also on display in the exhibition. Both works are engraved into windows at South Africa’s Constitutional Court. At The Portico Library, Kaplan’s prints and political cartoons are displayed alongside materials from the Portico Library’s historical collection as well as ephemera chronicling anti-apartheid activity in Manchester from the Working Class Movement Library. The display will ask visitors to consider the legacy of imperialism, conquest and romanticised visions of Africa, as depicted in Olive Schreiner’s Life on an African Farm and other selected items from the Portico’s collection and the impact of collaborative action against injustice. This iteration of All Shall Be Afforded Dignity! is made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players. Co-produced by Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), and the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives, this exhibition commemorates 30 years since the end of apartheid and highlights the role of art in the fight for justice. 📍 Venue: The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HY 🕰️ Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 10am – 5pm Thursday: 10am – 7pm Saturday: 11am – 3pm 🎟️ Admission: Free 🔗 More info & preview registration: https://lnkd.in/gJFvzbK7 #AllShallBeAffordedDignity #NormanKaplan #AntiApartheid #ArtExhibition #Manchester #Exhibition #SouthAfrica #democracy #Art #Archives #linocut

📢 Mural Project: Call for Curatorial Research Fellow(s)! 🎨✨ Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning and London Metropolitan University's Centre for Creative Arts, Culture and Engagement (CREATURE) are excited to announce they are looking for an artist practitioner(s) to design, develop and deliver a co-created Mural for the upcoming Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre at Penton Street! The project will include research based and public-facing art outcomes. This collaborative project is expected create a stunning visual piece that commemorates the rich history of anti-apartheid activism and its ongoing relevance today and to celebrate the cultural heritage of South Africa. It is made possible with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and national lottery players. We are looking for one or more Curatorial Research Fellows to lead research, engage with diverse communities, and to bring this exciting mural to life. 💡 If you have experience in public realm arts projects, curatorial research, community engagement, mural planning and delivery, or social justice-focused arts, we want to hear from you! Aside the Curatorial Research Fellow Fee, additional funding is available for materials and community participation costs. 📅 Deadline: 13th March 2025 📍 Project Start: Expected April 2025 📩 Find out more and download the brief at https://lnkd.in/eM4dY--G Join us in shaping a lasting legacy of resistance, resilience, and creativity through Europe's first Anti-Apartheid Museum! ✊🏽✊🏼✊🏾🎨 🖼️ Speculative image, showing paint brushes against a wall. It should be noted that the medium and design of the mural will be decided collaboratively as part of the development process. #AntiApartheidLegacy #PublicArt #CuratorialFellowship #SocialJusticeArt #Mural #Arts #Art #HiringNow

#OnThisDay, we remember Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe—a fearless leader, visionary, and founding president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Sobukwe led a bold stand against apartheid’s oppressive pass laws in 1960, launching a non-violent protest that led to his arrest, years of imprisonment, and solitary confinement on Robben Island under the notorious 'Sobukwe Clause' that kept him banned by the apartheid regime. Though silenced and exiled, his vision for a self-determined, just, and united Africa lives on. His words still resonate: 🗣️ "There is only one race, the human race." 🗣️ "Every man is his brother’s keeper... every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." A true Pan-Africanist, Sobukwe stood for Africanist Socialist Democracy, advocating for self-rule, economic justice, and the eradication of racial oppression. His legacy reminds us that the fight for justice continues. 🌿 "Here is a tree rooted in African soil… Come and sit under its shade and become, with us, the leaves of the same branch and the branches of the same tree." Today, on the anniversary of his death, we honour his sacrifice and commitment to this vision of justice, and in today's world, the fight for equity post-imperialism and colonialism. ✊🏾 #RememberSobukwe #PanAfricanism #PAC #AntiApartheidLegacy #AntiApartheid #postcolonial #FreedomFighter #JusticeForAll #SouthAfrica #Activism #Heritage

📢 Join us in Paris or online for an Insightful Seminar on Anti-Apartheid Transnational Solidarities! 🌍 ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏼 Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre of Memory and Learning is proud to collaborate with Université Sorbonne Paris North for the first session of the 2025 seminar series: "Political, Cultural, and Intellectual South-North Circulations in the Post-Bandung Era: Towards a Connected History of the Commonwealth." Join the discussion on the history of transnational solidarity and its lasting impact! 🔹 Session 1: Anti-Apartheid Transnational Solidarities in the North 📅 Date & Time: 21 February 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00 CET 📍 Venue: Campus Condorcet, Centre des Colloques, salle 3.01, Aubervilliers , Paris 💻 Hybrid Event – Open to All! Featuring a conversation between: 🎙️ Nadia Joseph (Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning ) 🎙️ Professor Bernard Cros (Université Paris 8) Nadia Joseph, our Heritage Participation Lead, will be exploring: 🔹 The relationships between South African political exiles and British socialism. 🔹 How ideological and power struggles in South Africa shaped experiences in exile. Organised by Anaïs Makhzoum (Université de Picardie Jules Verne ), Camille Martinerie (Université Sorbonne Paris Nord), and Lauriane Simony (University of Cergy-Pontoise) with support from the Pléiade research centre at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. 🔗 Learn more & request online access: [https://lnkd.in/e3Zdgcpx) #AntiApartheidLegacy #HistoryMatters #TransnationalSolidarity #SouthNorthDialogues #Heritage #SeminarSeries #CulturalHistory

'The Moth' is a gripping political thriller for the stage that delves into race, identity, punishment, and forgiveness — staged 30 years after the fall of apartheid in South Africa. Written by Paul Herzberg and set in the present day, the play follows a chance encounter between John Josana, a Black British activist and journalist, and Marius Muller, a white South African war veteran haunted by his past. Their meeting ignites a powerful reckoning with history, trauma, and the lingering shadows of apartheid. In Anti-Apartheid Legacy's latest blog, The Moth's Artistic Director Jake Murray reflects on the play’s urgent relevance today — how it speaks to racism, nationalism, and the deep scars of history that still shape our world. Anti-Apartheid Legacy is proud to support the production and co-programming of Elysium Theatre's The Moth. Don’t miss this visceral and thought-provoking drama that is touring 25 venues across the north of England during spring 2025, made possible with thanks to Arts Council England and other benefactors. Read the blog now: https://lnkd.in/eMjH8byE #TheMoth #Play #AntiApartheidLegacy #TheatreForChange #ElysiumTheatre #AntiApartheid #PoliticalTheatre #Artivism #SouthAfrica #Theatre #Angola #Activism

This is a special screening of the award-winning documentary, "Comrade Tambo’s London Recruits," for staff and students at London Metropolitan University on Thursday, 13th February 2025, at 5 PM. Winner of the 2024 Joburg Film Festival 'Best Documentary' award, the film, a gripping thriller style documentary, uncovers the untold stories of young British activists who risked everything in the '60s and '70s to fight against apartheid in South Africa. This inspiring tale of resistance and solidarity will leave you reflecting on the power of action in the face of injustice. Following the screening, there will be an exciting opportunity to engage in a discussion with the film's director, Gordon Main, and original recruits, Peter Smith and Tom Bell. This event, in partnership with Barefoot Rascals, the producers of London Recruits Film, is brought to the London Metropolitan University community through a collaboration between Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning, London Metropolitan University Students' Union, and LMU’s Centre for Equity and Inclusion. To book, members of the LMU community should follow the link at https://lnkd.in/en7tSjcC To find out about other upcoming screenings of Comrade Tambo's London Recruits visit https://lnkd.in/eANjpcJD #documentary #filmscreening #antiapartheid #collaboration #solidarity #justice #londonrecruitsfilm

Today, the Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Centre of Memory & Learning team was honoured to join trustee, Lord Peter Hain, at Hanover Primary School, where he delivered a powerful talk on his lived experiences of growing up under apartheid in South Africa and his activism against it. Lord Hain shared deeply personal stories about his childhood, the impact of his parents' activism on his own journey, his remarkable friendship with Nelson Mandela, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned about standing up against injustice. Hanover school shared: "Our students were captivated as he shared his experiences of standing up against injustice during one of the most turbulent periods in South African history. They demonstrated curiosity, respect, and responsibility while asking insightful questions about apartheid and Lord Hain’s courageous journey as an activist." Described as "an unforgettable learning experience" inspiring young learners "to think critically about fairness, equality, and the power of taking action for what’s right", the talk and ensuing insightful questions posed by the students, were filmed by Immanent Productions to create an archival record of Lord Hain's story to inspire future generations. A shorter learning resource video from today's event is also being created to share with other primary schools, to support students everywhere learn about apartheid, anti-apartheid activism, and how we can all work together to fight injustice. 📷 Some of the year 6 students pictured with Lord Hain and Hanover Head Polly Shields. This event was offered as part of #Islington’s 11 by 11 Educational Enrichment Programme, which the Anti-Apartheid Legacy team are proud to support as initiative partners. Thank you, Hanover School, for welcoming us and for inspiring the next generation of changemakers! ✊🏽✊🏼✊✊🏾 #AntiApartheidLegacy #LordPeterHain #InspiringChange #NelsonMandela #SocialJustice #OralHistory #heritage #EducationForChange #11by11 #PrimarySchool