Artists

Leaflet advertising an afternoon of videos, exhibition and stalls in support of South African women on International Women’s Day in 1987. The afternoon was followed by a gig with post-punk Artery Band. It was organised by Ealing AA Group with sponsorship from the London Borough of Ealing.

Hackney AA Group joined with local community groups to organise a week of activities celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress. The week included a meeting at the Turkish Community Centre, a filmshow at the Rio Cinema, culminating in a day of music, dance and poetry at the local leisure centre on 4 July 1987. The week was sponsored by the Race Relations Unit of Hackney Borough Council.

Poster advertising the SARMCOL Workers Co-op’s play ‘The Long March’ at the Hackney Empire, in September 1987. The play was put on by workers from the British-owned BTR factory in Howick, Natal, who were sacked after going on strike in 1986. It toured all over Britain, September–November 1997. The tour was sponsored by the British TUC.

In the late 1980s Bristol AA Group held an annual Festival against Apartheid. The 1987 Festival featured filmshows, the BTR strikers play ‘The Long March’ and performances by the jazz ensemble the Grand Union Orchestra and Zimbabwean singer Lovemore Majaivana.

Brochure advertising a free concert organised by Hounslow AA Group on 22 October 1987 at Hounslow Civic Centre. The brochure highlighted the strike by workers at the British-owned BTR company in South Africa and the AAM’s petition calling for the release of South African political detainees. The gig featured Attila the Stockbroker.

Flyer for an evening of poetry, music and drama to raise funds for an ANC appeal, organised by Merton AA Group in 1967. Merton AA was set up in 1986.

Leaflet advertising events promoted by the Tsafrika record label at The Town and Country Club in Camden, London and the 100 Club in 1987. They included a gig featuring Julian Bahula’s Jabula and a ‘Free South Africa’ concert by the ANC’s cultural group Amandla.

Musicians Little Steven and Jerry Dammers sign the SATIS petition calling for the release of detainees in South Africa. Altogether 30,000 South Africans were held in detention under the State of Emergency imposed in June 1986. The petition was supported by the British Council of Churches and the TUC and signed by a third of a million people. It was presented to the South African authorities, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the UN Secretary-General on Human Rights Day, 10 December 1987.