The Sharpeville massacre took place when South African police opened fire on a crowd of black Africans who had gathered outside the police station in the township of Sharpeville to protest against the pass laws, which restricted where black people could live and work. The protest had been called by the Pan Africanist Congress, and thousands took part. The police killed 69 people and wounded many more, many of them shot in the back as they fled. The shooting drew worldwide condemnation, and the UN Security Council passed a resolution criticising the government. The South African government declared a state of emergency and banned the African National Congress and the Pan Africanist Congress, which pushed both toward armed struggle. Since 1966 the day has been marked by the UN as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Before and after
- 4 January 1960Death of Albert Camus
- 23 January 1960Piccard and Walsh reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep
- 23 February 1960Birth of Naruhito
- 21 March 1960Birth of Ayrton Senna
- 21 March 1960Sharpeville massacre
- 19 April 1960April Revolution
- 20 April 1960Birth of Miguel Díaz-Canel
- 21 April 1960Founding of Brasília
- 1 May 19601960 U-2 incident spy aircraft
More in Society, economy & sport
- 16 November 1945Founding of UNESCO
- 7 April 1948Founding of World Health Organization
- 4 April 1949Founding of NATO
- 1959HIV/AIDS
- 1 November 1993Founding of European Union
- 2015Rise of Wikipedia Asian Month
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.