Timeline of South African Apartheid


1841

David Livingstone went to Africa to preach gospel, he was convinced that only British government was strong enough to end the slave trade.

1869

French built a canal across the Isthmus of the Suez.

1872

Henry Stanley told Manchester business leaders. (There are 40 million people beyond the Congo).

1875

Europeans controlled less than 10 percent of the continent.

1884 & 1885

European countries met in Berlin to lay down rules for the new competition.

1900

an agreement was signed that gave British a privileged position in the British colony of Uganda.

1900

90 percent of Africa was divided into colonies.

1952

Mandela and Tambo opens the first black legal firm.

1956

Charged with high treason and found not guilty.

1959

The parliament passed new laws extending racial segregation by creating separate bantustans, or homelands, for South Africa's major black groups.

1960

Black protests reached a peak when in an incident called sharpeville massacre, police killed 69 people.

1962

Nelson Mandela was arrested & sentenced to life imprisonment

1965

Rhodesia gained its independence. Only whites were represented in the new government.

1974

Because of apartheid the country was expelled from united nations.

1976

More than 600 students were killed in Sowet and Sharpeville.

1977

The leader of the protests, Steve Biko, was killed in police custody.

1980

Zimbabwe gains independence. Before and after, sporadic outbursts of violence.

1981

The Dumbutshena Report is commissioned by the government to investigate events surrounding the Entumbane uprising

1982

CCJP sends a confidential report to the prime minister expressing concern at army excesses. Government reinstates the Indemnity and Compensation Bill first used in 1975, granting immunity from prosecution to government agencies.

1983

The government allows farmers to re-arm, to protect themselves from dissidents.

1984

The South African government began to limit the freedom of black Africans even more when it launched a system of apartheid.

1984

It is declared that since 1983, dissidents have murdered 120, mutilated 25, raped 47, and committed 284 robberies.

1986

ZIPRA commanders in jail for 4 years are released.

1987

It is announced at a rally in Bulawayo that Unity is imminent.

1988

An Amnesty is announced for all dissidents, and 122 surrender.

1990

The state of Emergency is not renewed.

1990

De Klerk lifted the ban outlawing the African National Congress.

1990

De Klerk frees Mandela from prison.

1991

Nelson Mandela became President of the ANC

1991

International Olympics Committee lifted a 21 year ban barring South African athletes from Olympic Games.

1994

Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as President of South Africa.


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This page created by Jaime Torres, Anthony Kennedy, Micah Caldwell and Derek Helpingstine.