Artists

Poster for a concert to raise funds for the ANC election campaign in South Africa’s first democratic election in April 1994. The concert was organised by Nottingham anti-apartheid supporters and was supported by Nottingham City Council. It took place in the Marcus Garvey Centre, an Afro-Caribbean community centre in Nottingham’s Lenton district, and featured the Zimbabwean group, the Bhundu Boys.

Leaflet advertising 'The Free at Last Party, a concert at London's Astoria to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as President of South Africa on 10 May 1994.

Poster advertising a concert on 9 July 1994 celebrating South Africa’s first democratic election. The concert featured an all star line-up of South African artists, including Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Lucky Dube, Black Ladysmith Mambazo and Brenda Fassie. It was organised by Islington Council in north London.

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

This is a complete transcript of an interview carried out as part of the Forward to Freedom AAM history project in 2013.

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

In this clip he taks about how he came to write ‘Free Nelson Mandela’.

Jerry Dammers formed the Specials in Coventry in 1977. He was an anti-apartheid activist from his school days, and in 1986 founded Artists Against Apartheid to involve musicians in anti-apartheid campaigns and promote the cultural boycott of South Africa. He wrote the song ‘Free Nelson Mandela’, which became an international hit and helped raise awareness of the situation of Nelson Mandela and political prisoners in South Africa.

In this longer clip (approximately 30 minutes) Jerry taks about his anti-apartheid work.