Free Mandela

Invitation card for a service of tribute to Nelson Mandela on his 70th birthday at St James’s Church, Piccadilly.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Nelson Mandela Freedom rally in Hyde Park. Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on 17 July 1988 to a rally attended by 250,000 people. The rally was the climax of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign and the biggest ever anti-apartheid demonstration in Britain. At the end of the campaign a poll showed that Nelson Mandela had become a household name in Britain and 70% of people  supported the call for his release.

The Mandela marchers on stage at the 250,000-strong Nelson Mandela Freedom rally in Hyde Park on 17 July 1988. The rally was the climax of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign and the biggest ever anti-apartheid demonstration in Britain. At the end of the campaign a poll showed that Nelson Mandela had become a household name in Britain and 70% of people supported the call for his release.

The rock group Simple Minds perform for the 250,000-strong crowd in Hyde Park at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Rally on 17 July 1988. The rally was the climax of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign and the biggest ever anti-apartheid demonstration in Britain. It rally began with music from Jonas Gwangwa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave the keynote speech.

Programme for the rally in Hyde Park held on 17 July 1988, the eve of Mandela’s 70th birthday, as the culmination of the ‘Nelson Mandela Freedom at 70’ campaign. The main speakers were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, AAM President Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, SWAPO leader Andimba Toivo ja Toivo, Sir Richard Attenborough and ANC representative Mendi Msimang. There was music from Jonas Gwangwa and a video message from Winnie Mandela. A quarter of a million people attended the rally.

This multilingual leaflet publicised the rally in Hyde Park held on 17 July 1988, the eve of Mandela’s 70th birthday, as the culmination of the ‘Nelson Mandela Freedom at 70’ campaign. It was produced by the AAM Women’s Committee. The rally was attended by around 250,000 people.

This leaflet advertised a rally in Hyde Park held on 17 July 1988, the eve of Mandela’s 70th birthday, as the culmination of the ‘Nelson Mandela Freedom at 70’ campaign. A quarter of a million people heard Desmond Tutu call for Mandela’s release. Other speakers were AAM President Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, SWAPO leader Andimba Toivo ja Toivo, Sir Richard Attenborough and ANC representative Mendi Msimang.

Poster for the rally held in Hyde Park, London on Sunday 17 July as the culmination of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. A crowd of 250,000 heard Archbishop Desmond Tutu, SWAPO Secretary General Andimba Toivo ja Toivo, Commonwealth Secretary General Shridath Ramphal and actor Richard Attenborough call for Mandela’s release. After the rally an overnight vigil was held outside South African House to see in Mandela’s birthday on 18 July.