On this day in 1990, South African president F.W. de Klerk, a member of the National Party, lifted the ban on the African National Congress, the South African political party that fought for desegregation and equal rights for black citizens. The lifting of this ban would result in Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.
The African National Congress (ANC), originally titled The South African Native National Congress, was founded in 1912 under John Langalibalele Dube, a black South African politician. The focus of this new political party was to unite all African people and defend their basic freedoms. This meant establishing full rights for black and mixed race South Africans and ending the institution of apartheid. The group attempted to achieve its goal through non-violent protests, often going up against police brutality and police killings. Things quickly deteriorated in 1960, when in March the Sharpeville massacre occurred. Hundreds of peaceful protestors were injured and nearly 70 people were killed when police fired into the crowd. Relations between the ANC and the South African government broke down, and it was at this point that the ANC was banned by the then National Party president, Charles Robert Swart, prolonging the presence of apartheid in South Africa.
It was during the 30 year ban that the ANC transformed into an underground and overseas operation as former members were rounded up and arrested as well as forcibly deported from the country by the government. One of those arrests was Nelson Mandela, one of the most influential members of the ANC. He would go on to spend 27 years in prison.
It was not until February 2nd, 1990 that the ban was finally lifted. After internal and international pressure, F.W. de Klerk opened up peaceful discussion to end apartheid in South Africa. With this declaration, the African National Congress was reinstated and Nelson Mandela was freed nine days later. This resulted in the beginning of the end of apartheid and the election of Mandela as the president of South Africa in 1994 under the ANC. He would lead until 1999 and live until 2013. The ANC has been in power in South Africa since the election of Mandela. The role played by Mandela and the ANC in the eventual abolition of apartheid cannot be overstated. It was pivotal, at times a challenge that appeared to be near impossible, but, in the end, history making.
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