Written by
Committee to Free the SASO 9, American
Subject of
South African Student Organization, South African, 1968 - 1977
Signed by
Akpan, John
Subject of
South African Student Organisation, South African, 1968 - 1977
Date
June 4, 1976
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 11 × 8 1/2 in. (27.9 × 21.6 cm)
Description
This letter from the Committee to Free the SASO 9 invites people to an emergency meeting about the SASO 9. The letter is white with black text that reads: [June 4, 1976 / Dear Sister/Brother: / INVITATION TO AN EMERGENCY MEETING / The Committee to Free The SASO 9 (South African Students Organ-/ ization) is a group in the United States working to publicize / the plight of our sisters and brothers in South Africa who face / death by hanging if convicted. / Although the original number was nine who have been unjustly / jailed, it is now sixteen, and one member has been tortured to / death. Along with this, two members of SWAPO (South West African / Peoples Organization) in Namibia have been convicted and sentenced / to death by a South African Court. There are many thousands of / prisoners languishing in the jails of South Africa, Namibia and Rhodesia. / The Committee to Free The SAO 9 is calling an urgent meeting / on Wednesday June 9 at 7:00 P.M. The meeting will take place in / Manhattan at 605 West 115th Street, Room 418. / Some of our activities to publicize the trial of SAO, as well as / aid in the release from prison have been: picket lines at the / South African Airways, demonstrations, forums, poetry readings / and speaking engagements. / We in the Committee are urging you to attend as well as send / representatives of your organizations. Our task is to save the SWAPO 2 from hanging, aid in the freeing of the SASO members as / well as all prisoners of apartheid. / Volunteers and funds are urgently needed. / Yours In Struggle, John Akpan / Coordinator / Committee to Free the SASO Nine]. The back of the letter is blank.
Place used
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
South Africa, Africa
Zimbabwe, Africa
Namibia, Africa
Classification
Memorabilia and Ephemera - Political and Activist Ephemera
Documents and Manuscripts
Movement
Pan Africanism
Anti-apartheid movements
Type
letters (correspondence)
Topic
Activism
Africa
Black power
Correspondence
Decolonization
International affairs
U.S. History, 1969-2001
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2015.97.27.11
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5422deb96-2fe6-4d49-a665-a1f427a9a13b

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

Share this page