South Africa

June 16th Student Uprising
When high-school students in Soweto started protesting for better education on 16 June 1976, police responded with teargas and live bullets.

Soweto Uprising: The Afrikaans Medium Decree
The decree that Afrikaans would be used as a language of instruction in schools contributed to the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto.

Apartheid legislation
Starting in 1948, the Nationalist Government in South Africa enacted laws to define and enforce segregation.

South Africa's national holidays
When Apartheid ended and the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela came into power in South Africa in 1994, the national holidays were changed to days that would be meaningful to all South Africans, including Youth Day on 16 June and Day of Reconciliation on 16 December.

The Freedom Charter
The Freedom Charter, adopted at the Congress of People on 26 June 1955, was one of the cornerstones of the anti-Apartheid struggle. It set out the basic rights of all people in South Africa.

People (8)

Photos of Robben Island Prison
A small collection of photos of the infamous prison on Robben Island where South Africa’s Apartheid regime held political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela.

Hector Petersen
The iconic image of the 1976 Soweto Uprising -- the photo of Hector Petersen, the first child to die when police opened fire on protesting students.

South African Who's Who in Politics
Want to know who a political figure in 20th-century South African history is? Have a look in this listing.

Apartheid Deaths in Detention
A list of people who died in police detention during South Africa's apartheid era, giving their names, political affiliation, place of detention, and official cause of death.

South Africa - Library of Congress Country Studies
The Library of Congress Country Study for South Africa provides an excellent and fairly detailed history of the country. This information was originally compiled for the US Department of Army in case of potential deployment -- examining the historical, social, economic, and political background the country. (The only problem with this site is the awkwardness of navigating so many pages.)