1970s

Three thousand people marched through central London on 16 June 1974 to celebrate the defeat of the Portuguese colonial regime and call for the independence of Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau. At a rally in Trafalgar Square Mariano Matsinhe of FRELIMO stressed the role of international solidarity in the liberation struggle. Miners leader Jack Collins gave a message of support from British trade unions. The rally was organised by the AAM and the Committee for Freedom in Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau.

The AAM celebrated its 15th anniversary with a ‘Freedom Convention’ at Camden Lock, London on 30 June 1974. Stalls displayed information about South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Portugal’s African colonies. A petition for the release of South African prisoners with 30,000 signatures was presented to Nigeria’s UN Ambassador Edwin Ogbu, Chair of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. The Convention also highlighted the call for a boycott of all South African products.

The AAM celebrated its 15th anniversary with a Freedom Convention at Camden Lock, London on 30 June 1974. Ray Buckton, General Secretary of the rail union ASLEF, was one of the speakers at a rally held during the afternoon. Stalls displayed information about South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Portugal’s African colonies. In the photograph (left to right): Labour MP Jo Richardson, Nigerian Ambassador Edwin Ogbu, Chair of the UN Special Committee on Apartheid, AAM President Bishop Ambrose Reeves, AAM Hon. Secretary Abdul Minty and Joan Hymans of the Movement for Colonial Freedom.

The AAM celebrated its fifteenth anniversary with a ‘Freedom Convention’ at Camden Lock, London on 30 June 1974. Stalls displayed information about South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Portugal’s African colonies. A petition for the release of South African prisoners with 30,000 signatures was presented to Nigeria’s UN Ambassador Edwin Ogbu, Chair of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. The Convention also highlighted the call for a boycott of all South African products.

In 1974 the newly elected Labour government authorised joint naval exercises with the South African navy. The AAM accused it of failing to honour its election manifesto commitments and campaigned for pressure from Labour supporters against all military and economic links with South Africa.

South African former political prisoners took part in a walk from London to Manchester, 27 October–6 November 1974. They held meetings along the way to publicise the situation of political prisoners. In the photograph the marchers are leaving Banbury, where they were met by Labour councillors and held a meeting in the Town Hall.

Anti-apartheid campaigners called on the recently elected Labour government to stop all British military collaboration with South Africa and end the Simonstown naval agreement at a demonstration in Whitehall on 31 October 1974. Two months later the government cancelled the agreement.

US civil rights leader and former prisoner Angela Davis visited London to campaign for South African political prisoners, 10–13 December 1974. She spoke at a meeting at Friends House organised by the AAM, International Defence and Aid Fund (IDAF) and Liberation. She said black Americans felt a special responsibility to support the struggle of their sisters and brothers in Southern Africa. On the right is future Labour Cabinet Minister Charles Clarke.