Unit 13 9-12: Learning Plan

Teacher Background Knowledge:

Apartheid in South Africa (1948–1994) was a system of racial segregation that sparked global resistance. African Americans played a crucial role in advocating for sanctions and raising awareness through organizations like TransAfrica. College students in the 1980s led divestment campaigns, pressuring universities and corporations to sever ties with South Africa. Their activism highlighted the power of grassroots movements in influencing policy and achieving justice. Understanding these efforts provides valuable context for connecting historical and contemporary struggles for equity and human rights.

Objectives:

1. Students will analyze how African American activists contributed to the global fight against Apartheid.
2. Students will evaluate the impact of student activism on campuses in shaping anti-apartheid advocacy in the U.S.
3. Students will connect the role of global solidarity movements to contemporary issues of racial justice.

Materials:

• Timeline handout: Key events in the U.S. anti-apartheid movement.

Lesson Structure:

1. Warm-Up Activity:
   1. Display the quote: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
   2. Ask students:
      1. What does this quote mean in the context of global struggles for justice?
      2. How might this relate to African American activism and the fight against international issues affecting Black people?
2. Key Figures:
   1. Overview of African Americans’ involvement in the Anti-Apartheid Movement: Explain apartheid policies in South Africa and their effects on Black South Africans.
   2. African American Contributions: Break students into pairs and assign the same figure to focus on to answer guided questions.
      1. Randall Robinson and TransAfrica’s Free South Africa Movement.
      2. Leon Sullivan: A Catalyst for Change in the Anti-Apartheid Movement
      3. Harry Belafonte: A Voice Against Apartheid
   3. Randall Robinson Discussion Questions:
      1. What role did Randall Robinson’s TransAfrica organization play in shaping U.S. policies toward South Africa during Apartheid?
      2. How did Robinson’s work highlight the interconnectedness of anti-apartheid efforts and broader struggles for justice?
      3. What strategies did Robinson use to mobilize international attention to Apartheid?
   4. Leon Sullivan Discussion Questions:
      1. What were the Sullivan Principles, and how did they impact American businesses in South Africa?
      2. Why did Leon Sullivan believe that economic activism was essential in dismantling Apartheid?
      3. How did Sullivan’s advocacy extend beyond South Africa to influence global social justice movements?
   5. Harry Belafonte Discussion Questions:
      1. How did Harry Belafonte use his platform as an artist to contribute to the anti-apartheid movement?
      2. What was the significance of the “Sun City” project in raising awareness about Apartheid?
      3. How did Belafonte’s personal experiences influence his commitment to global human rights causes?
   6. Student pairs will share guided questions with the class and debrief answers to ensure all students learn three facts about each figure.
   7. Show this brief video of Nelson Mandela’s Daughter discussing the role of the United States in Ending Apartheid. Use the following questions to lead the discussion after the video:
      1. Describe the role that the U.S. Congressman Ron Dellums played in the anti-apartheid movement. Include specific actions he took to support the cause.
      2. Explain how the anti-apartheid protests in the United States influenced international opinions about Apartheid in South Africa. Provide examples from the transcript.
      3. Reflect on the significance of Nelson Mandela’s meeting with Ron Dellums. What impact did this encounter have on Dellums, and what does it reveal about the importance of the U.S. anti-apartheid movement?
   8. Student Activism on Campuses:
      1. Highlight the 1980s divestment campaigns, where college students pressured universities to divest from companies doing business in South Africa.
3. Video and Guided Discussion:
   1. Show the video “How did South African Apartheid happen, and how did it finally end?”
   2. After the video, lead a discussion with the following prompts:
      1. Describe the significance of the Soweto uprising in the context of Apartheid in South Africa.
      2. Explain how the Apartheid system affected the education of Black South Africans during this period.
      3. Discuss the role of international influence in the anti-Apartheid movement and the eventual end of Apartheid.
4. Group Activity: Categorizing Collaboratively:
   1. Task: Directions for Categorizing Key Events in the U.S. Anti-Apartheid Movement
   2. Groups will categorize key events in the U.S. anti-apartheid movement related to types of strategies into original themes identified differently by each group by using information reviewed in the lesson so far and reviewing the following documents:
      1. Primary Source: History of TransAfrica.
      2. The Free South Africa Movement protests in the 1980s.
      3. The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986.
      4. Anti-Apartheid Movements in 1980s
   3. Steps:
      1. Group Assignments:
         1. Each group will be responsible for reviewing a list of key events in the U.S. anti-apartheid movement.
         2. Your task is to categorize these events into types of strategies used in the movement.
      2. Identifying Themes:
         1. Begin by brainstorming potential themes or categories for the strategies, such as economic activism, cultural boycotts, political advocacy, or grassroots organizing.
         2. Each group will create their own unique set of themes based on the strategies they identify.
      3. Analyzing Events:
         1. As you review the events, determine how each one fits into the themes your group has identified.
         2. For example, if an event involved a divestment campaign, it might fit under “economic activism.”
5. Reflection and Exit Ticket:
   1. Exit Ticket:
      1. How did African American activists and student movements work together to challenge Apartheid? What can we learn from their strategies for today’s social justice movements?