African Activist Archive

Letter to The Rev. Peter Gomes, Memorial Church, Harvard University criticizes Harvard for only sponsoring white members of South Africa's legal opposition to official forums and to receive honorary degrees, including Alan Paton and Helen Suzman. No black South Africans have been so honored. The legal opposition in that country, of which Paton is a part, no longer represents the feelings of the black majority. Organizations and individuals who are taking a meaningful stand against apartheid are being banned, detained or even murdered. While every black, and many integrated, South African organizations have called for a total economic boycott of South Africa, Paton and other white liberals like Suzman has refused to join this call. Since 1976, a massive uprising has rocked the country; it has now forced the international community to impose sanctions on the apartheid regime. Harvard University has continued to avoid giving concrete aid to the liberation struggle in South Africa, which it could do by voting for withdrawal of those companies in which it owns shares from South Africa. Harvard should oppose foreign investment in South Africa and sell its shares in Citicorp and Manufacturers Hanover. We would welcome your presence at the Southern Africa Solidarity Committee's evening on South Africa and Harvard at Emerson Hall this Saturday. [Note: According to Cindy Ruskin, the letter was written quickly by her and Neva Seidman, and there was not enough time make it an official Harvard-Radcliffe Southern Africa Solidarity Committee document.]

African Activist Archive

[Dear Sir, As Harvard students we must protest the invitation to Alan Paton as this year's William Belden Noble speaker]

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