Exploring The History of Apartheid and its role in "Born a Crime " by Trevor Noah

Hello! In this blog post, I will be exploring Apartheid and its history, as well as how it ended. In addition, I will discuss the autobiography “Born a Crime”, written by Trevor Noah, in which he describes his South African childhood living in the Apartheid era.

"Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah

Apartheid was a “racial segregation and political and economic discrimination against nonwhites.” In South Africa, a majority of the people living there were nonwhite, but the white population was able to overtake the colored individuals and discriminate against them. Under this policy were several rules. Whites and blacks were separated in businesses, schools, transportation, neighborhoods, churches, interracial marriage was prohibited, and much more. For nearly 5 decades, nonwhite individuals lived under discrimination and segregation in South Africa.

The photo shows three children sitting on a European-only bench in South Africa during Apartheid.

The map above shows the distribution of race in South Africa in 1979 during Apartheid

The movement turned violent in the township of Sharpeville on March 20th, 1960. Over 200 blacks were wounded or killed. The nation was fearful, and the blacks living there during this time were under constant worry of being attacked by police or angry whites.

The photo on the right shows the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960

During this time, an activist named Nelson Mandela was in prison for his commitment to the African National Congress (ANC). Mandela and the ANC started with nonviolent forms of protest in an attempt to get black people's rights. But after repeated arrests and worsening treatment from law enforcement, they had to make a change. That's when they transitioned from peaceful ways of protesting to ways of force. Nelson and a few other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment for their resistance. Although he was imprisoned for nearly 27 years, Mandela remained an influential figure in the antiapartheid movement.

The photo shows Nelson Mandela

The video below is a speech by Nelson Mandela, in which he discusses Apartheid.

The “Free Nelson Mandela” campaign was introduced and gained global attention. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990. After he was free, he became the leader of the ANC and negotiated with South African leaders and political parties for an end to apartheid. He went on to earn the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

The photo shows a person holding a sign that says 'Free Mandela' at a busy rally

Then, in 1994, the first multiracial election resulted in Nelson Mandela becoming the first black president of South Africa and the official end of apartheid. 

The photo on the left shows President Nelson Mandela celebrating his election and the end of Apartheid.

Now reflect on Trevor Noah’s autobiography “Born a Crime.” After discussing the history of apartheid, Noah’s story is very personal and serves as insight into how the lives of many colored families were during this time. He discusses what his life was like as a mixed boy. His father was white, and his mother was black, and as previously mentioned, under apartheid, interracial marriage or sexual relations were prohibited. This is why Trevor says he was “born a crime.”

The photo on the right shows Trevor Noah, a popular South African comedian and writer.

When talking about his relationship with his parents and experience as a mixed child, he says, “Where most children are proof of their parents' love, I was the proof of their criminality.”(pg 46 ebook).

The photo on the left shows young Trevor and his mother, Patricia.

Additionally, Trevor talks about his experience when apartheid was ending, he says, “I was five years old, nearly six, when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. I remember seeing it on TV and everyone being happy. I didn’t know why we were happy, just that we were. I was aware of the fact that there was a thing called apartheid and it was ending, and that was a big deal, but I didn’t understand the intricacies of it.” (pg. 21 ebook). Trevor was young at the time, but he could see how impactful apartheid was, specifically from his grandmother, mother, and father.

The video above shows Trevor traveling back to South Africa, where he visits his grandma and the house he grew up in, in Soweto.

In conclusion, Apartheid wasn't just history written in a textbook; it was something Trevor Noah lived every day. His book "Born a Crime" shows us how the laws shaped his childhood and his identity. His story is powerful because he doesn't just explain the pain of his situation; he shows the humor, love, and resilience that got him through his difficult childhood. Reading his experiences reminds us that behind history, there are real people with real stories.