How American Students Affected the Anti-Apartheid Movement

Howard, Spelman and other schools voiced their opinions.

Mandela’s Impact on American Student Anti-Apartheid Movement - Following the death of Nelson Mandela, President Obama said he was inspired by the late leader to protest while studying at Occidental College. “My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid,” said Obama. BET.com takes a look at college campuses that were active in the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s. – Natelege Whaley(Photo: UPI Photo/Landov)
Occidental College - Barack Obama made his first public speech on Feb. 18, 1981, at Occidental College. He opened a rally protesting the college’s investments in South African businesses. Before he could end his speech, two students pretending to be oppressive Afrikaaners carried him off stage. (Photo: Patrick Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Michigan State University - Michigan State University students and community members of East Lansing, Michigan, formed the South African Liberation Committee in 1972, one of the first organizations in the country to lead a campaign against the apartheid movement. Because of the group’s efforts, the city became the first in the U.S. to pass a resolution that ended support of businesses that operated in South Africa.(Photo: MSU.edu)/content/dam/betcom/images/2013/10/National-10-15-10-31/102313-national-tuition-hbcu-spelman-college.jpg

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Mandela’s Impact on American Student Anti-Apartheid Movement - Following the death of Nelson Mandela, President Obama said he was inspired by the late leader to protest while studying at Occidental College. “My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid,” said Obama. BET.com takes a look at college campuses that were active in the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s. – Natelege Whaley(Photo: UPI Photo/Landov)

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