Books

Currently reading:

The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa
By: Sasha Polakow-Suransky
A fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes relationship between Israel and apartheid South Africa from the late 1960s up through the early 1990s.  This book exposes one of South Africa’s main allies at a time when they were widely considered to be the world’s pariah.

The following are the books I have read on South Africa and the anti-apartheid movement and would strongly recommend:

117 Days
By: Ruth First
Account by Ruth First (1925-1982), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in both the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP), of her time spent in prison in South Africa in the 1960s.

Across Boundaries: The Journey of a South African Woman Leader
By: Mamphela Ramphele
Autobiography of Mamphela Ramphele (1947-), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in the Black Consciousness Movement.

The Agony of Arrival: Gandhi – The South African Years
By: Nagindas Sanghavi
Although Gandhi only spent 21 years in South Africa (1893-1914), he played an immensely important role in organizing resistance against segregation in the country which would eventually influence not only the Indian population in South Africa, but also the African population as well. It was in South Africa where Gandhi formulated his belief in satyagraha and it would greatly influence the anti-apartheid movement throughout the 20th century.

The Apartheid Handbook: A Guide to South Africa’s Everyday Racial Policies
By: Roger Omond
Reference book on the specific laws and policies of South Africa’s apartheid regime in a question-and-answer format.

“Armed and Dangerous”: My Undercover Struggle Against Apartheid
By: Ronnie Kasrils
The autobiography of Ronnie Kasrils (1938-), a prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in the the South African Communist Party, the African National Congress (ANC), and the ANC’s military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe. Kasrils was an integral part of the ANC’s armed action, including leading sabotage missions, recruiting cadres to join MK, and maintaining contacts with countries who were allied with and supported the ANC.

The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War
By: Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva
Story of four photojournalists in South Africa documenting the brutal violence of the period 1990-1994, from when Mandela was released from prison to the 1994 elections. In 2010, this book was made into a movie by the same name.

Because They Chose the Plan of God: The Story of the Bulhoek Massacre of 24 May 1921
By: Robert Edgar
Short book on a controversial event in 1921 in which South African police and soldiers killed over 180 followers of Enoch Mgijima’s religious movement.

Beyers Naudé: Pilgrimage of Faith
By: Colleen Ryan
Biography of Beyers Naudé (1915-2004), prominent anti-apartheid activist and member of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. An incredible story of the transformation of an Afrikaner, clergyman in the Dutch Reformed Church, Broederbond member, and initially a supporter of apartheid into an active member of the anti-apartheid movement. This book also focuses on the role of the Church and church leaders in the struggle.

Beyond the Miracle: Inside the New South Africa
By: Allister Sparks
This is the story of what happened in South Africa after the celebrations of the inauguration of Nelson Mandela in 1994. Distinguished South African journalist Allister Sparks gives an account of both the achievements and the failures of the Mandela and Mbeki presidencies, and how South Africa has changed since the end of apartheid.

Biko
By: Donald Woods
Biography of Steve Biko (1946-1977), Black Consciousness Movement leader, by Donald Woods, an anti-apartheid newspaper editor, exploring Woods’ relationship with Biko and Biko’s controversial death in prison. This book was turned into the film Cry Freedom in 1987 starring Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline.

Black Sash: The Beginning of a Bridge in South Africa
By: Kathryn Spink
The story of a ardent group of white women who formed a human rights organization to oppose the injustice of apartheid. These women protested through petitions, demonstrations, creating advice centers to help those negatively impacted by apartheid laws, and campaigning for the rights of black, coloured, and Indian South Africans from the 1950s through the early 1990s.

Bram Fischer: Afrikaner Revolutionary
By: Stephen Clingman
Biography of Bram Fischer (1908-1975), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in the South African Communist Party. Fischer was a well-known lawyer in South Africa who supported anti-apartheid activists in court, including defending Nelson Mandela and others at the Rivonia Trial in the 1960s.

Bring Me My Machine Gun: The Battle for the Soul of South Africa from Mandela to Zuma
By: Alec Russell
An analysis of the post-1994 era in South Africa, after the celebrations of the first democratic elections and the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, this book provides an understanding of the challenges that have faced the African National Congress as they have transitioned from a liberation movement to a ruling political party.

Buthelezi: A Biography
By: Ben Temkin
Biography of Mangosuthu Buthelezi (1928-), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). An interesting look into the views of the Zulu and an outside look at the African National Congress (ANC).

Call Me Woman
By: Ellen Kuzwayo
Ellen Kuzwayo (1914-2006) was a ardent anti-apartheid activist from before apartheid ever even officially became enshrined in law. Starting in the 1930s, Ellen Kuzwayo fought against racial discrimination and segregation in South Africa, as well as gender inequalities. She was a champion for women’s rights throughout her life, both in the classroom as a teacher and in the communities she worked in as a political and community activist. This autobiography not only explores her life, but also sheds light on the great women in South African history who helped to bring about democracy and equality in 1994.

Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa
By: Antjie Krog
Antjie Krog is a South African journalist who covered the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for the media, and this is her reaction as a South African and as a journalist who covered the hearings day after day to the strengths and weaknesses of the TRC and its role in the new South Africa.

Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa
By: Martin Meredith
Detailed history of South Africa from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, focusing on the rivalry between the British and the Afrikaners, giving the reader a solid basis for understanding South African history in the 20th century.

The Fate of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence
By: Martin Meredith
A detailed history of the continent of Africa from the 1950s though the early 2000s, with several chapters dealing with South Africa under apartheid and since the 1994 elections.

A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict
By: Peter Ackerman and Jack Duvall
A history of the use of non-violence as an effective and powerful strategy during the 20th century in creating change in dozens of countries, including a chapter on the use of non-violence in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

Freedom In Our Lifetime: Collected Writings Of Anton Muziwakhe Lembede
By: Anton Muziwakhe Lembede; Edited By: Robert R. Edgar and Luyanda ka Msumza
Letters and speeches of Anton Lembede (1913-1947), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL).

Hani: A Life Too Short
By: Janet Smith and Beauregard Tromp
Biography of Chris Hani (1942-1993), prominent anti-apartheid leader in the South African Communist Party and chief of staff of the military wing of the African National Congress, Umkhonto we Sizwe. This engaging book tells the story of the external military mission of the ANC and the rise of one of the brightest stars in the movement.

A History of South Africa
By: Leonard Thompson
An exploration of South Africa’s history, from the origins of mankind in the region all the way through to the 21st century of the post-apartheid South Africa. To understand modern day South Africa and the apartheid years, this book serves a valuable purpose to looking at the origin of racial segregation and colonialism.

The Honour to Serve: Recollections of an Umkhonto Soldier
By: James Ngculu
The inside story of the armed wing of the African National Congress, Umkhonto weSizwe, including their creation in South Africa in the early 1960s, their growth in exile, their role in the anti-apartheid struggle, and the role that the armed struggle played in the downfall of the apartheid regime.

How Can Man Die Better?: The Life of Robert Sobukwe
By: Benjamin Pogrund
Biography of Robert Sobukwe (1924-1978), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the the Pan-African Congress (PAC).

In No Uncertain Terms: A South African Memoir
By: Helen Suzman
Autobiography of Helen Suzman (1917-2009), anti-apartheid activist and member of the South African Parliament for 36 years as a member of the liberal opposition Progressive Party. A fascinating look at one woman’s courage to fight apartheid from within the system.

Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa
By: Mark Mathabane
Autobiography of Mark Mathabane’s (1960-) experiences growing up in Alexandra township, his life under the apartheid system, and his rise as a young tennis star in the 1960s and ’70s.

Knowledge in the Blood: Confronting Race and the Apartheid Past
By: Jonathan Jansen
Dr. Jansen, a former Dean of Education at the University of Pretoria and currently the vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State, tells the powerful story of Afrikaner students in post-apartheid South Africa dealing the past, present and future, and of apartheid’s lasting legacies in white students today.

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela
By: Nelson Mandela
Autobiography of Nelson Mandela (1918-), from his days in the African National Congress (ANC) through his 27 years in prison to his eventual rise to president of South Africa in 1994. Not just a history of Mandela, but also of life under apartheid, the ANC, and the anti-apartheid movement.

No Bread for Mandela: Memoirs of Ahmed Kathrada, Prisoner No. 468/64
By: Ahmed Kathrada
The autobiography of Ahmed Kathrada (1929-), prominent anti-apartheid activist, leader in the Indian National Congress, the South Africa Communist Party, and the African National Congress.

No Future Without Forgiveness
By: Desmond Tutu
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (1995-1998) was a major step in South Africa in transitioning from the brutal and oppressive system of apartheid. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was named as Chairman of the TRC by then-President Nelson Mandela, and in this book, published just after the Commission published its final report, Tutu explains the importance of the TRC and its role in healing and rebuilding South Africa.

A People on the Boil: Reflections on June 16, 1976 and Beyond
By: Harry Mashabela
A detailed account of the Soweto Uprising of 1976, from what led to it to how it transpired to how it changed South Africa and those who participated in it, this book is a fascinating look into understanding one of the most courageous acts of resistance of the anti-apartheid movement. Mashabela also traces the student movement throughout the 1980s and the role it played in bringing down apartheid.

The Rainbow People of God: The Making of a Peaceful Revolution
By: Desmond Tutu; Edited By: John Allen
Speeches and writings of Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-), prominent anti-apartheid activist and Anglican Church leader. This provides an insight not only into just the role that Tutu played in the struggle, but also the role that the Church and its leaders played, as well.

Sanctioning Apartheid
Edited By: Robert Edgar
This collection of essays was written a few years after the passage of the 1986 Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act by the U.S. Congress.  The Act imposed sanctions on South Africa as punishment for its apartheid policies, and was the first time the U.S. government had taken a stand against the government of South Africa.  These essays examine the effectiveness of these sanctions and just how much impact they were having on the South African apartheid regime.

Shades of Difference: Mac Maharaj and the Struggle for South Africa
By: Padraig O’Malley
Biography of Mac Maharaj (1935-), a prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in both the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP). This provides an amazing insight not only into the role that Indian South Africans played in the struggle, but also provides an inside look at the ANC in exile, the underground in the country, and the armed struggle.

Side by Side: The Autobiography of Helen Joseph
By: Helen Joseph
Helen Joseph (1905-1992) was prominent anti-apartheid activist since the 1950s when she was a founding member of the Congress of Democrats (COD). She played a key role in the 1955 Freedom Charter and helped to start the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW), through which she helped lead the famous 1956 women’s anti-pass march in Pretoria. Helen Joseph’s story is essential to understanding the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

Slovo: The Unfinished Autobiography of ANC leader Joe Slovo
By: Joe Slovo
Autobiography of Joe Slovo (1926-1995), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader in both the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

South Africa: The Rise and Fall of Apartheid
By: Nancy L. Clark and William H. Worger
An introductory text that explores how apartheid came to be in South Africa, its development, and its eventual demise.

Soweto 16 June 1976: Personal Accounts of the Uprising
By: Elsabe Brink, Gandhi Malungane, Steve Lebelo, Dumisani Ntshangase, and Sue Krige
A fascinating personal side of the Soweto uprising, the accounts of these 27 men and women who were part of the uprising as students give a much-needed inside look into this important event in the anti-apartheid movement. Whereas too often the participants in this uprising are simply labeled “students,” this book gives insight into exactly who some of these courageous young students were and what motivated them to stand up for their rights.

Steve Biko: I Write What I Like
By: Steve Biko; Edited By: Aelred Stubbs C.R.
Selected speeches and writings of Steve Biko (1946-1977), prominent anti-apartheid activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa.

The Super-Afrikaners: Inside the Afrikaner Broederbond
By: Ivor Wilkins and Hans Strydom
The inside story of the secret Afrikaner organization whose membership was so powerful that they controlled South Africa politically, socially, religiously, and economically during the apartheid era. The Broederbond were the ones who were truly in charge in orchestrating apartheid and Afrikaner Nationalism. This book provides the details of this secret organization and exposes just how powerful they truly were in South Africa.

They Fought for Freedom: David Webster
By: Julie Frederikse
The They Fought for Freedom series tells the stories of southern African leaders who struggled for freedom and justice, and yet who have been largely ignored by the history books. David Webster (1945-1989) was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa and, as an anthropologist and professor, played an important role in bringing the apartheid government’s use of repression and “death squads” to light. He was assassinated by a government hit squad in South Africa in 1989.

They Fought for Freedom: Lilian Ngoyi
By: Dianne Stewart
The They Fought for Freedom series tells the stories of southern African leaders who struggled for freedom and justice, and yet who have been largely ignored by the history books. Lilian Ngoyi (1911-1980) was one of the loudest female voices in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. As a leader in the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW), she was one of the leaders of the 1956 women’s anti-pass march in Pretoria, and she became the first woman elected to the National Executive Council of the African National Congress (ANC).

They Fought for Freedom: Ruth First
By: Don Pinnock
The They Fought for Freedom series tells the stories of southern African leaders who struggled for freedom and justice, and yet who have been largely ignored by the history books. Ruth First (1925-1982) was a prominent anti-apartheid activist, mainly working with the South African Communist Party (SACP). She exposed many of apartheid’s cruel realities through her work as a journalist, especially with newspapers like New Age. Ruth First was tragically killed by a mail bomb sent to her office in Zambia by the South African security forces in 1982.

Tomorrow Is Another Country: The Inside Story of South Africa’s Road to Change
By: Allister Sparks
Gripping behind-the-scenes story of how South Africa transitioned from being under a State of Emergency in the mid-1980s to the 1994 elections, including a detailed look into the negotiating process that eventually led to majority rule and brought democracy to South Africa.

Total Onslaught: Apartheid’s Dirty Tricks Exposed
By: De Wet Potgieter
An investigative look at several stories of espionage, corruption, abuse of power, and murder in the National Party and in the police, military, and intelligence branches of South Africa in 1980s and ’90s. A shocking book that uncovers some of the aspects of the government’s so-called Total Strategy.

Trevor Huddleston: A Life
By: Robin Denniston
The powerful story of Trevor Huddleston (1913-1998), an Anglican bishop from Britain who was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa and in Britain, where he was the leader of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM). This book helps to illustrate both the role that church leaders played in the struggle to bring down apartheid and the role that AAM played abroad.

Umkhonto weSizwe
By: Janet Cherry
The story of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), Umkhonto weizwe tells of the decision of the ANC to adopt a campaign of sabotage and armed struggle both inside and outside of South Africa from the 1960s through the early 1990s and its role in bringing down apartehid.

Walter & Albertina Sisulu: In Our Lifetime
By: Elinor Sisulu
Biography of Walter Sisulu (1912-2003) and his wife Albertina Sisulu (1918-2011), both of whom were prominent anti-apartheid activists for over 60 years. Walter was a leader in the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party, while Albertina was also a leader in the ANC, as well as a leader in the United Democratic Front (UDF). This remarkable couple’s struggle against apartheid is an amazing story of courage, resilience, and determination.

Winnie Mandela: A Life
By: Anné Mariè du Preez Bezdrob
Biography of Winnie Mandela (1936-), a prominent anti-apartheid activist, leader in the African National Congress (ANC), and former wife of Nelson Mandela. This book explores the many sides of the “Mother of the Nation,” from the courageous heroine that was influential in keeping the African National Congress (ANC) and Mandela’s name alive from the 1960s-1980s to the controversies surrounding her personal, financial, and political life of the 1980s and ’90s.

White Power & the Rise and Fall of the National Party
By: Christi van der Westhuizen
A fascinating account of what led to the creation of Afrikaner nationalism in the 20th century in South Africa. Written by an Afrikaner, this book explores the ideology of the National Party from its formation in 1914 to its victory in the 1948 election and its establishment of apartheid. This book focuses on the ruling party during the apartheid years, providing a unique perspective of what they believed in and why, and what caused the downfall of not only apartheid but also of the National Party.

Please let me know of any books that you would recommend on South Africa and the apartheid era as I am always looking for new suggestions.