Free Mandela

mda44. Mandela Freedom March on Tyneside

Twenty-five freedom marchers, one for each year of Mandela’s imprisonment, walked nearly 600 miles from Glasgow to London in June and July 1988. Along the way they held meetings and events calling for Mandela’s release. This leaflet advertised the march as it came through Tyneside in the north-east of England.

pic8827. Nelson Mandela Freedom March

The Nelson Mandela Freedom marchers leaving Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Twenty-five freedom marchers, one for each year of Mandela’s imprisonment, walked 590 miles from Glasgow to London, 12 June–17 July 1988. The march was part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. Local supporters organised meetings and events in the 40 cities and towns they passed along the way.

pic8828. Nelson Mandela Freedom March

The Nelson Mandela Freedom marchers at Durham. Twenty-five freedom marchers, one for each year of Mandela’s imprisonment, walked 590 miles from Glasgow to London, 12 June–17 July 1988. The march was part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. Local supporters organised meetings and events in the 40 cities and towns they passed along the way.

pic8830. Nelson Mandela Freedom March

Mandela on the march: twenty-five freedom marchers, one for each year of Mandela’s imprisonment, walked 590 miles from Glasgow to London, 12 June–17 July 1988. The march was part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. Local supporters organised meetings and events in the 40 cities and towns they passed along the way.

pic8829. Nelson Mandela Freedom March

The Nelson Mandela freedom marchers carried a giant birthday cake through York in the Lord Mayor’s parade in June 1988. Twenty-five freedom marchers, one for each year of Mandela’s imprisonment, walked 590 miles from Glasgow to London. The march was part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. Local supporters organised meetings and events in the 40 cities and towns they passed along the way.

pic8831. Nelson Mandela Freedom Rally

Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on 17 July 1988 to a rally attended by 250,000 people in Hyde Park. The rally was the climax of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign and the biggest ever anti-apartheid demonstration in Britain.

gov45. Letter from Trevor Huddleston to Margaret Thatcher

Letter from Archbishop Trevor Huddleston asking Prime Minister Thatcher to meet the freedom marchers who walked from Glasgow to London as part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign. The British government changed its attitude in response to the growing campaign for Mandela’s freedom and by 1988 was calling for his unconditional release.

po106. Nelson Mandela Freedom Rally, 1988

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.