The Southern Africa Support Project (SASP) was an anti-apartheid, grassroots non-governmental organization. Previously, it was called the Southern African News Collective (SANC) and started after the 6th Pan-African Congress in 1974. SASP raised awareness of issues facing people in Southern Africa, protested, raised funds for refugees, and published a newsletter.

History

The SASP was a grassroots organization developed after the 6th Pan-African Congress (6PAC) held in 1974.[1][2] After 6PAC, Sylvia I. B. Hill and others returned to Washington, D.C. where they started a group called the Southern African News Collective (SANC).[3] However, members of SANC felt there should be more emphasis on praxis, and started the SASP in June of 1978.[4][3][5] The organization was partly based at Howard University.[6] SASP raised awareness of the struggles of oppressed people in the area of Southern Africa.[6] They held public events and a "Southern Africa Week" each year that focused on different countries in the region.[7]

Founding members included Kathy Flewellen, Sylvia Hill, Sandra Hill, and Karen Jefferson.[6] Later, Joseph Jordan and Ira Stohlman joined.[2] Jordan helped SASP set up "focus groups, educational campaigns, and demonstrations against U.S. southern Africa policy."[8] Former member of SANC, Sandra Rattley who worked at Howard's radio station, WHUR-FM, broadcast SASP programming.[2] In addition, SASP raised funds to aid refugees in Southern Africa.[5] During the 1985 and 1986 picketing of the South African Embassy, SASP "played a major role."[4]

SASP published a quarterly newsletter called Struggle.[9] Archivist and SASP member, Jefferson, organized the SASP collection of Struggle and other materials, many of which were later donated to Howard University.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Minter, William (September 2004). Minter, William; Hovey, Gail; Cobb Jr., Charles (eds.). "Interview with Sylvia Hill, September 23, 2003". No Easy Victories. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  2. 1 2 3 Hall 2022, p. 11.
  3. 1 2 Minter, William. Minter, William; Hovey, Gail; Cobb Jr., Charles (eds.). "Sylvia Hill: From the Sixth Pan-African Congress to the Free South Africa Movement". No Easy Victories. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  4. 1 2 "Southern Africa Support Project". African Activist Archive. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  5. 1 2 Counts, Hill & Hill 1984, p. 44.
  6. 1 2 3 Myers 2020, p. 50.
  7. ↑ "Southern Africa Support Project". ArcGIS StoryMaps. 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  8. ↑ Hall 2022, p. 10.
  9. ↑ "Southern Africa Resource List". The Black Scholar. 16 (6): 39. 1985. ISSN 0006-4246 – via JSTOR.

Sources

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