During the peiriod 1948-1976 South African blacks resisted the Apartheid policies of the NP by boycotts

strikes, Violent and non violent protests. These mass movements were highly successfull in many ways. The early non-violent strikes triggered international awareness and brought blacks from all backgrounds into organised politics. The later part of the struggle culminated in the fall of aparthied in 1990, therefore ressistance during this period has to be seen as highly successful.

The coming to power of Malans apartheid government stimulated a shift in the ANC to firstly more millatant ressastance as well as a united struggle between all races( as shown by the the Doctors pact between Naiker , Xumz and Dadoo). In December 1949, with the support of the ANC Youth League, a new leadership came to power in the ANC. Walter Sisulu was elected secretary-general and a number of Youth Leaguers were elected to the national executive. In 1949 the "Programme of Action"(POA) was drafted by the ANC youth league. The programm

In 1955 the Government announced a plan to force woman to start carrying passes. This sparked a campaign by the ANC women's league and the Federation OF SA Women. Thie height of this anti-pass campaign was on the 9th of August 1956 when 20 000 women marched to the union buildings in Pretoria. Although the demonstration was not successfull, marches against the government continued most famously the Zeerest march in which Men demonstarted alongside women against the government, the police opened fire and killed severaly people.The government was able to repress the women by blocking pensions and expelling their children from school and gradually the women won lost the battle against the passes as by 1960 3.6 million women were redistered for passes. The involvement of women in campaigns of Defiance was a major step towards bringing youth into politics as will be seen in the riots of 76.

The first major mass action of the POA was the May day strike of 1950 which called for a major stayaway, 70% of workers stayed home and this led to a stop in industry, although it was peacefull during the day at night cops killed 13 people in a townships. Thus a National Day Of Protest and Mourning was called for the 16th june due to these deaths and in protest to the Unlawful Organisations Bill. This day was a major sucess as it stopped the bill from being passes(although it was passed later as the Supression of Communism act) and it had shown co-operation of groups which revealed unity against the government.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Stadium June, Women Thie, ANC PAC, South African, Bantu Education, Internationally NP, Programme ActionPOA, Supression Communism, Students Council, Government Beer, south african, freedom charter, apartheid laws, anc pac, bantu education, defiance campaign, 20 000, africans indians, mass action, walter sisulu, beer hall boycott, led formation black, violent violent protests, 20 000 women, bantu education apartheid,
Approximate Word count = 2342
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)