Bass and Beyond
Uniting the Black Diaspora
Discover how Black journalists in California, Oregon and Washington played a vital role in supporting the Anti-Apartheid movement, using their platforms to raise awareness and rally for justice in South Africa. Through powerful investigative reporting, they exposed the brutal realities of apartheid and connected racial inequality in the U.S. to the global struggle for freedom.
A Legacy of Solidarity and Resistance
The anti-Apartheid movement in the United States was a powerful testament to global solidarity, and the West Coast played a critical role in advancing the cause. Grounded in the activism of prominent Black leaders, community organizations, and the Black press, the region became a hub for advocacy, fundraising, and awareness campaigns against South Africa’s brutal system of racial segregation.
Prominent Black Leaders in the Campaign
Key figures like California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, actor and activist Danny Glover, and scholar-activist Angela Davis were at the forefront of the West Coast’s anti-Apartheid movement. Waters was instrumental in advocating for legislative action, including the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, which imposed sanctions on the South African government. Glover used his platform to highlight the struggles of South Africans, often participating in rallies, boycotts, and speaking engagements to bring attention to the movement. Davis, with her history of global activism, framed the fight against Apartheid as interconnected with struggles for racial and economic justice in the United States.
Student activists at major West Coast universities like UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Stanford also played an influential role. They organized divestment campaigns, urging their institutions to withdraw investments from companies doing business with South Africa. These efforts were often led by Black student organizations, such as the Black Student Union at Berkeley, which mobilized thousands to support the movement.
The Role of the Black Press
The Black press on the West Coast was instrumental in amplifying the voices of anti-Apartheid activists. Newspapers like the Los Angeles Sentinel, the San Francisco Sun Reporter, and the California Voice published in-depth coverage of the atrocities in South Africa, tying the struggles of Black South Africans to the systemic racism faced by African Americans. These outlets provided a platform for local leaders and community members to discuss strategies for dismantling Apartheid and highlighted local efforts such as rallies, protests, and fundraising campaigns.
Columnists and editors often used their spaces to educate readers about the broader implications of Apartheid and encouraged them to act. The Los Angeles Sentinel, in particular, frequently published updates on South African liberation movements, covered international news ignored by mainstream outlets, and urged its readers to participate in boycotts of companies with ties to South Africa, such as Coca-Cola and Shell Oil.
Major Wins and Achievements
One of the most significant achievements of the West Coast anti-Apartheid movement was the successful divestment campaigns at universities, city councils, and churches. The City of Los Angeles, under pressure from activists, became one of the largest municipalities to divest from companies operating in South Africa. Similarly, grassroots organizations like the Southern Africa Support Committee in Oakland organized boycotts and raised funds for South African liberation groups like the African National Congress (ANC).
In addition to divestment, the movement fostered solidarity between African Americans and South Africans. Churches, particularly Black congregations, played a key role in hosting events and raising money for the ANC and other liberation movements. Notably, Portland’s Black churches spearheaded fundraising efforts to provide material aid to South African activists.
By the late 1980s, these efforts contributed to the growing international pressure that ultimately dismantled Apartheid. The movement’s success on the West Coast underscores the enduring power of community organizing, the importance of the Black press, and the leadership of activists committed to global justice.