The Lens of Resistance: Jurgen Schadeberg’s Photographs Documenting South Africa’s Fight Against Apartheid

In 1948, apartheid was officially implemented in South Africa, a system of white supremacy, segregation, and inequality. This oppressive system created strict boundaries between races, leading to increased restrictions and discrimination against non-white individuals. Despite this, resilient communities in Johannesburg continued to resist the apartheid laws.

Jurgen Schadeberg (1931-2020), a young photographer for Drum magazine in the 1950s, captured the vibrant and diverse communities of Johannesburg in his images. Despite the government’s efforts to erase all signs of multiracialism from the streets, Schadeberg’s lens documented the resilience and resistance of the people. He also immortalized leading figures of the struggle against apartheid such as Oliver Tambo, Miriam Makeba, and Nelson Mandela himself.

The first multiracial democratic election in South Africa was held on April 27, 1994 marking the end of apartheid and beginning of a new era with Nelson Mandela as the country’s first Black president. The legacy of Jurgen Schadeberg lives on through his powerful photographs that continue to tell South Africa’s fight against oppression.