Online Reporter
The Herald, 27 June 1985
OFFICIALS of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People are planning a march across the United States in support of voting rights for blacks in South Africa. This was announced on Tuesday during the organisation’s 76th annual convention.
The march will take place between April and June 1986, and will be led by the NAACP’s voter education director, Joseph Madison.
Mr Madison, who was arrested last week in front of the South African embassy in Washington, said his arrest initiated a new phase for the NAACP in the struggle against South Africa’s apartheid policies.
Mr Madison said that a petition would be circulated during the march calling for support of a congressional resolution that will demand one man, one vote in South Africa. The petition will also call for the expulsion of South Africa from the United Nations if full voting rights are not granted to black South Africans.
About 12 core marchers, NAACP activists ranging from very young to very old, will walk approximately 5000 km from Los Angeles, California, to Baltimore, Maryland, Mr Madison said.
The three-month march is intended to conclude just before the 77th NAACP convention Baltimore.
The march will also focus on the concerns of Americans about conditions for the elderly, the poor and the unemployed in the United States.
Lessons for today:
The planned protest march by the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) in support of voting rights for black South Africans teaches us several important lessons about activism, solidarity, and social justice.
The NAACP’s initiative to march across the United States in support of voting rights for black South Africans highlights the importance of global solidarity in the fight against injustice. It shows that the struggle for human rights transcends national boundaries.
The arrest of Joseph Madison and the subsequent planning of the march demonstrate the persistence required in advocacy. Even when faced with setbacks, continuing the struggle is essential to achieving long-term goals. Organising a march and circulating a petition are strategic actions that can draw attention to the cause and put pressure on policymakers to take action.
