South Africa’s struggle against the National Party government lasted over 40 years.

In the 1990s, many change were made: the country held it first free elections, Apartheid ended, and a the first black president was elected. These change were due to the actions of some courageous leaders and thousands of their followers.

Archibishop Desmond Tutu was a religious leader during the Apartheid era. Tutu encouraged South Africans to peacefully disobey the laws they found to be unjust. Civil disobedience has been used throughout history. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi in India, and, in 2011 the people of Egypt used peaceful protest to change their government.

In South Africa, those who stayed behind to fight risked arrest and even death. Nelson Mandela was kept in prison for 27 years, but during that time he sent secret messages to fellow fighters through his wife, Winnie Mandela.

Today, people like Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela are celebrated as freedom fighters. Whether through non-violent protest, the arts, politics, each played an important part in working toward a free South Africa.

Next: Learning about the challenges South Africa faces today.

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