African Activist Archive

Hundreds protested the Rivonia trial in front of the South African Consulate in New York. The trial began in November 1963. In June 1964, eight defendants, mostly members of the African National Congress (ANC), were convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment. These included Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi, Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mhlangeni, and Denis Goldberg. The ANC had been operating underground since it was banned (outlawed) in April 1960. All were sent to Robben Island except Denis Goldberg; being white, Goldberg was imprisoned in Pretoria. They served from 22 to more than 27 years in prison. Most were released in late 1989. Mandela was the last released, in February 1990. Photo reproduced from ACOA Annual Report 1964. This demonstration was apparently sponsored by the American Committee on Africa (ACOA); the African Society of African Culture; the Association of Artists for Freedom; Campus Americans for Democratic Action; CORE (Congress of Racial Equality); Local 1199, RWDSU; the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People); the Student Action Committee, Union Seminary; Students for a Democratic Society (SDS); SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee); the United Auto Workers (UAW); and the US National Student Association. This demonstration is apparently FREE SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL PRISONERS, American Committee on Africa, May 1964, available on this website.

African Activist Archive

Rivonia Trial Protest

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