AboutAvoice Celebrates the 14th Anniversary of the First All-Race Elections in South Africa
This month Avoice remembers the triumph of the first all-race elections in South Africa. Held from April 26-29, 1994, this election provided the first opportunity for the country’s black majority to vote and to have the protection of a bill of rights enforced by a constitutional court.
These four days were a triumph for members of the Congressional Black Caucus as well. CBC members began introducing legislation against apartheid to the United States Congress in the early 1970s. After sponsoring more than 15 bills, organizing rallies, hearings and protests in Washington, D.C. as well as in their home districts, CBC members, in conjunction with efforts of community activists, students and other organizations, finally succeeded in passing anti-apartheid legislation in both Houses of Congress in 1986. Soon afterwards the repressive apartheid system was abolished and the road was paved for all citizens of South Africa to participate in the country’s democratic process.
Click here to read the Avoice News Item on South Africa’s first all-race elections.
Want to lean more about the work of CBC members to end apartheid? Visit the Avoice Anti-Apartheid Exhibit
Now Showing – Avoice Seminar on the Enactment of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Bill
On January 14, 2008 Avoice and the Division of U.S. Studies at the Woodrow Wilson Center joined together to commemorate the 40th anniversary year of Rev. King's assassination and the 25th anniversary year of the passage of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Bill with a seminar addressing the social and legislative history of the bill as well as the continuing significance of Dr. King's life today. Speakers included Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Dr. Elsie L. Scott, President and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher of The Washington Informer, and Moses Boyd, Senior Counselor with the Washington Group and former Public Policy Scholar at the Wilson Center.
To watch the C-SPAN broadcast of the event click here
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Avoice Photo and Document Galleries Now Work with Zotero!
Conducting research on Avoice and need to organize your sources? The Congressional Black Caucus’ Virtual Library photo and document galleries now work with Zotero! A free, easy-to-use extension to the Firefox web browser, Zotero is a research tool that lets you gather, organize, and analyze sources (citations, full texts, web pages, images, and other objects), as well as letting you share the results of your research in a variety of ways. Just download Zotero at www.zotero.org, visit the Avoice photo and document galleries, and then look for the page symbol in your address bar. With one click store the reference information for any Avoice photo or document so it will be easy to site later.
To download Zotero click here
More Avoice Exhibits:
Spotlight
19th Century Black Congress Member Biographies
Avoice Remembers the First All-Race Elections in South Africa - April 26-29, 1994
Avoice Remembers Martin Luther King, Jr.
Avoice Celebrates Women's History Month by Remembering Two Great Women of the CBC
The Making of the MLK Holiday
Avoice Celebrates Black History Month by Honoring the African Americans Elected to U.S. Congress in the 19th Century
more Avoice news...
Trace the history of the CBC with an in-depth look at exactly how, when and why the Caucus was initially formed.
Learn how the CBC has spent years fighting tirelessly to protect the voting rights of underrepresented people
Look back at how the CBC led the charge for the creation of a federal holiday honoring the civil rights hero.
Read about the significant role CBC members played in the dismantling of the apartheid system in South Africa.
