Amandla awethu

June 16th marks the day that the world woke up to a gruesome image splashed across the front pages of their morning news. The body of a child being carried by another child, alongside them a screeming child and behind, a mass of children running...

Students in a township known as Soweto had managed in secret to spread the word that today; they would take it no more. Today they would gather for assembly and then armed with bed sheets, placards and protest slogans such as 'no more Afrikaans' they would walk together to the authorities and make themselves heard.

The youth marched in protest of Afrikaans being the medium of instruction in township schools, the Apartheid regime, separate education based on your classification according to the various Acts promulgated by the minority, poor facilities, subjects such as domestic education (that tutored black females how to become good domestic workers) and the overcrowding of their schools.

In a time when they were not permitted a voice, were denied the right to gather or protest, these youth rose up together to ensure they were heard.

Today is a sad day as many who should be amongst us are not. However, they are who we have to thank and celebrate that today we are able to publish posts such as this one without fear of arrest, that we can all go to the same schools, and that education in your mother tongue is a right for all. 'Amandla awethu!'

Mbuyisa carrying Hector Peterson's body with Lulu Peterson running alongside them. Images were captured by Sam Nzima and taken off Common Dreamers News Centre

Other images were souced from SA History

The Hector Peterson Memorial has been established in memory of those who gave their lives for freedom