U.S. Celebrates Its Independence; South Africa Still Longs For It, p. 11
Dublin Core
Title
U.S. Celebrates Its Independence; South Africa Still Longs For It, p. 11
Description
"GLOBAL NEWS REPORTS over the July 4th holiday weekend left much to be desired in the field of race relations and world peace.
In the Union of South Africa, dispatches from Johannesburg report tension rising as the Union’s blacks, mulattoes and Indians pressed their non-violent disobedience campaign against the ‘white supremacy” edicts of Prime Minister Daniel Malan.
The situation would be ludicrous if it were not so serious and fraught with danger. Stated briefly, the two-and-a-half million “whites” or Europeans are ex-exploiting [sic] and taking advantage of 10 million non-whites. There are social, political and economic considerations involved, each of the three being related to the other.
There are two leaders of the disobedience movement, both of whom have been jailed–Nelson Bandela [sic], Negro chief of the African National Congress and Yussif A. Cachalia, secretary of the campaign and a former follower of Ghandi [sic], revered leader of the Indian people. According to there two stalwarts, more than 10,000 non-whites stand ready to break Malan’s segregation laws and go to jail in a Union-wide protest against the vicious system.
South African police thought that by arresting Bendala [sic] and Cachalia they would break up the resistance movement, but the non-whites know otherwise. The leaders shouted: “Give us six months and we will have 200,000 volunteers ready to go to jail. Eventual goal of campaign is to fill the nation’s jails to overflowing and thus draw world-wide attention to their plight.
Strategy of the passive belligerents is to be arrested for a minor offense and be jailed for 14 days. Malan wants them held for a more serious charge–conspiracy against the government, thus imprisoned for longer terms. Police say the non-whites have not broken any laws, but have “aided and abetted” persons to commit crimes.
Here’s how the non-conformists “aid and abet.” Natives are supposed to abide by the curfew law, must have passes to remain in the streets after 9 p.m. So, they stay out until late at night and tell police they have “forgotten their passes.” Whereupon they are jailed.
Women also play their part. Two were arrested, along with 28 male natives when they walked nonchalantly into a “white” railroad station. All were taken to the hoosegow. In another instance 50 natives and Indians riding in autos had themselves arrested for minor traffic violations.
In the mining town of Boksburg, natives serenade prisoners on the way to court by singing the national anthem of the Bantu tribe.
While the situation is tense, to date, there has been no reported violence, and the “belligerents” are scheduled to go to trial on July 11. One of the prisoners released was young Okamae Ojikibu, 19 years old, alert and active, with the gleam of determination in his eyes.
An inquiring American reporter overtook Okamae as he was about to enter his “restricted district,” and asked the young native to give him all phases of the program, the master minds behind it, the manner of approach, the follow thru and what recourse they had, should the non-resistance campaign be a flop. Okamae, both vocal and enthusiastic, replied in good English:
“We respect our elders and are guided by their sage wisdom and advice. We believe in the statement “Old men for counsel, young men for war,” even though the resistance is passive. As for our youth, we just don’t give a darn about this Malan “white supremacy” idea and we’re going to hew close to the line and let the quips [sic] fall where they may. That was the American Stephen Decatur who said that, I’m sure.
“And again, we’re like the Arkansas Negro tenant farmer who wanted to sell a mule to a white owner of a neighboring farm for $50. The mule was brought into the field, apparently healthy and in good shape. Suddenly the white man grabbed a stick and struck the mule a sharp blow on the rump. The mule leaped forward at full speed – and ran smack-jam into a big tree, trembling from head to foot.
“The white farmer shouted: ‘Josh, I oughta have you put in jail for this! That mule is blind.’
“But Josh shot back: ‘No, Boss, that mule ain’t blind–he just don’t give a damn.’”"
In the Union of South Africa, dispatches from Johannesburg report tension rising as the Union’s blacks, mulattoes and Indians pressed their non-violent disobedience campaign against the ‘white supremacy” edicts of Prime Minister Daniel Malan.
The situation would be ludicrous if it were not so serious and fraught with danger. Stated briefly, the two-and-a-half million “whites” or Europeans are ex-exploiting [sic] and taking advantage of 10 million non-whites. There are social, political and economic considerations involved, each of the three being related to the other.
There are two leaders of the disobedience movement, both of whom have been jailed–Nelson Bandela [sic], Negro chief of the African National Congress and Yussif A. Cachalia, secretary of the campaign and a former follower of Ghandi [sic], revered leader of the Indian people. According to there two stalwarts, more than 10,000 non-whites stand ready to break Malan’s segregation laws and go to jail in a Union-wide protest against the vicious system.
South African police thought that by arresting Bendala [sic] and Cachalia they would break up the resistance movement, but the non-whites know otherwise. The leaders shouted: “Give us six months and we will have 200,000 volunteers ready to go to jail. Eventual goal of campaign is to fill the nation’s jails to overflowing and thus draw world-wide attention to their plight.
Strategy of the passive belligerents is to be arrested for a minor offense and be jailed for 14 days. Malan wants them held for a more serious charge–conspiracy against the government, thus imprisoned for longer terms. Police say the non-whites have not broken any laws, but have “aided and abetted” persons to commit crimes.
Here’s how the non-conformists “aid and abet.” Natives are supposed to abide by the curfew law, must have passes to remain in the streets after 9 p.m. So, they stay out until late at night and tell police they have “forgotten their passes.” Whereupon they are jailed.
Women also play their part. Two were arrested, along with 28 male natives when they walked nonchalantly into a “white” railroad station. All were taken to the hoosegow. In another instance 50 natives and Indians riding in autos had themselves arrested for minor traffic violations.
In the mining town of Boksburg, natives serenade prisoners on the way to court by singing the national anthem of the Bantu tribe.
While the situation is tense, to date, there has been no reported violence, and the “belligerents” are scheduled to go to trial on July 11. One of the prisoners released was young Okamae Ojikibu, 19 years old, alert and active, with the gleam of determination in his eyes.
An inquiring American reporter overtook Okamae as he was about to enter his “restricted district,” and asked the young native to give him all phases of the program, the master minds behind it, the manner of approach, the follow thru and what recourse they had, should the non-resistance campaign be a flop. Okamae, both vocal and enthusiastic, replied in good English:
“We respect our elders and are guided by their sage wisdom and advice. We believe in the statement “Old men for counsel, young men for war,” even though the resistance is passive. As for our youth, we just don’t give a darn about this Malan “white supremacy” idea and we’re going to hew close to the line and let the quips [sic] fall where they may. That was the American Stephen Decatur who said that, I’m sure.
“And again, we’re like the Arkansas Negro tenant farmer who wanted to sell a mule to a white owner of a neighboring farm for $50. The mule was brought into the field, apparently healthy and in good shape. Suddenly the white man grabbed a stick and struck the mule a sharp blow on the rump. The mule leaped forward at full speed – and ran smack-jam into a big tree, trembling from head to foot.
“The white farmer shouted: ‘Josh, I oughta have you put in jail for this! That mule is blind.’
“But Josh shot back: ‘No, Boss, that mule ain’t blind–he just don’t give a damn.’”"
Creator
Albert Barnett
Publisher
The Chicago Defender
Date
1952-7-12
Collection
Citation
Albert Barnett, “U.S. Celebrates Its Independence; South Africa Still Longs For It, p. 11,” African American Fourth of July, accessed May 7, 2024, https://africanamerican4th.omeka.net/items/show/36.