Apartheid
'Fresh Air' remembers Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The South African leader was key to the anti-apartheid movement. He chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and preached forgiveness. Tutu died Dec. 26. Originally broadcast in '84 and '99.
'Summer Of Soul': South African Trumpeter Hugh Masekela
Masekela, who died in 2018, was a symbol of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. He performed around the world, including at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Originally broadcast in 1988.
Charlize Theron Reflects On Growing Up In South Africa During The Apartheid Era
"This climate that we're in right now with our polarizing political views in this country, it was very similar in South Africa," the star of The Old Guard says. Originally broadcast Dec. 16, 2019.
Trevor Noah Says He Grew Up 'In The Shadow Of A Giant' (His Mom)
The Daily Show host revisits his childhood in apartheid-era South Africa in his new memoir, Born a Crime. Originally broadcast Nov. 22, 2016.
'Fresh Air' Remembers South African Writer Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer has written about the agonies of apartheid in her novels and short stories. She died Sunday at the age of 90. In 1989, she spoke with Terry Gross during a visit to the U.S.
In Memoriam: Activist Poet Dennis Brutus.
During his lifetime, South African poet Dennis Brutus made incredible contributions to the fight against apartheid. Brutus died on December 26, 2009, after successfully battling segregation in athletics with global recognition. Fresh Air remembers the life and achievements of Brutus in this interview from 1986
This interview was originally broadcast on April 22, 1986.
Helen Suzman, Anti-Apartheid Crusader, Dies At 91
A pioneering political leader in the fight against apartheid, for 13 years Suzman was the sole representative in South Africa's all-white Parliament to reject race discrimination. She died Thursday at 91.
Former President of South Africa, F.W. Deklerk.
Former president of South Africa, F.W. Deklerk. He dismantled apartheid, released Nelson Mandela from prison, and later shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela. Deklerk has a new autobiography, "F.W. DeKlerk: The Last Trek A New Beginning (St. Martin's Press).
South African Photojournalist Peter Magubane
Magubane has been photographing life in South Africa for over 40 years, depicting the reality of life under Apartheid, including the Soweto uprising and the Sharpeville massacre. He was the first black South African to win a photography prize in his country. But he also endured 586 days in solitary confinement, six more months in jail, and five years of "banning" in which he wasn't allowed to work. He's published 11 books.