1980s

Little Steven and Jim Kerr at the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday tribute concert held at Wembley Stadium, London on 11 June 1988. The concert was attended by a capacity audience of 92,000 and broadcast by the BBC to 63 countries. It was organised by the AAM with the support of Artists Against Apartheid. The concert was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign. Mandela became a household name and a public opinion poll found that 70% of people in Britain supported the call for his release.

Jim Kerr of the rock band Simple Minds launched the Nelson Mandela Freedom March at a rally in Glasgow on 12 June 1988. Among the speakers at the rally were ANC President Oliver Tambo, SWAPO leader Andimba Toivo ja Toivo, Domingos Ginga of MPLA, Allan Boesak, Labour MPs Bernie Grant and Joan Lestor and the President and Chair of the AAM, Trevor Huddleston and Bob Hughes MP. The Freedom March was part of the AAM’s Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70 campaign.

Demonstration to launch the Nelson Mandela Freedom March in Glasgow on 12 June 1988. As part of the AAM’s ‘Nelson Mandela: Freedom at 70’ campaign, 25 Mandela freedom marchers walked 590 miles from Glasgow to London, 12 June–17 July 1988. They took part in meetings and events in 40 cities and towns along the way. Left to right: SWAPO leader Andimba Toivo ja Toivo, Janey Buchan MP, AAM President Trevor Huddleston and Jim Kerr of Simple Minds.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.