1960: The Sharpeville massacre

On March 21st 1960, 69 school children were shot and killed by police in Soweto, Johannesburg during a non-violent protest. This was a key turning point in the fight against apartheid as it sparked a new wave of national and international solidarity and militant resistance against apartheid. The National Party arrested more than 2000 people and called for a state of emergency. They banned the ANC which forced many anti-apartheid activists to go underground or into exile in other countries. Convinced that a different strategy was necessary, the ANC formed armed wings which engaged in sabotage and guerilla warfare against the apartheid state. March 21st became the international day of international solidarity against racism.