Apartheid in South Africa

Madison Nemshick Junior Division Individual Website

The topic I chose was apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced by the countrys National Party government. I chose this topic because I find it very interesting. Over the summer, I read an autobiography about a boy growing up in apartheid South Africa. His story was very interesting. I really enjoyed the book, and decided to research the topic further. I used both web and print sources. The web sources included a few primary sources, such as letters written by antiapartheid activist Nelson Mandela to Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd. I also used the internet for secondary sources. I collected information from an autobiography and another book. The autobiography, Kaffir Boy, was written by Mark Mathabane, who grew up in South African during this time. The second book was called Mandela and was about the life of Nelson Mandela. I chose the website presentation category. The internet is becoming a more popular resource, and I wanted to learn new ways to use it. I enjoy learning how to use new technology. Today, computers and the internet make it possible to complete a variety of tasks and projects. I want to learn how to fully take advantage of the internet. The National History Day theme is rights and responsibilities. The National Party government, which was in power and enforced apartheid, felt it was their responsibility to control overpopulation and its effects in South Africa. Instead, they took away rights of citizenship from African, Asian, and Indian minority groups in South Africa.