The 1956 Women's March: Pretoria's Silent Protest
The Story of South Africa: Empire, Apartheid, and Transformation — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
In August 1956, 20,000 women of all races converged on the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest the extension of pass laws to African women. Led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, they stood in silence for thirty minutes before singing 'Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo' — 'You strike a woman, you strike a rock.' This episode explores the planning, the politics, and the personal stories behind that historic day, from the Federation of South African Women's petition bearing 100,000 signatures to the defiant song that became an anthem. We also look at the aftermath: the 1957 protests, the Treason Trial, and how the march became a touchstone for later generations of activists. It's a story of solidarity across color lines, of ordinary women becoming extraordinary, and of a moment that shook the foundations of apartheid. #1956WomenMarch #WathintAbafazi #LilianNgoyi #HelenJoseph #RahimaMoosa #SophiaWilliamsDeBruyn #FederationOfSouthAfricanWomen #Apartheid #PassLaws #WomenResistance #UnionBuildings #Pretoria #SouthAfricanHistory #TreasonTrial #WomensDay #History #FexingoHistory #Protest Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
