The Special Collections Book of the Week this week is:

The Black Sash: The Story of the South African Women's Defence of the Constitution League by Mirabel Rogers.

Founded in 1955 by six white women, the Black Sash is a South African human rights organization known for its non-violent resistance to apartheid.

This organization initially protested the government's attempt to remove Coloured voters from the common voters' roll, a move they viewed as a violation of the constitution. They became known for wearing black sashes during protests, symbolizing mourning for the loss of constitutional rights. Over time, the Black Sash evolved from a protest movement into a human rights organization, establishing advice offices to assist marginalized communities and advocating for social justice.

Access: https://univofpretoria.on.worldcat.org/oclc/2830678

This book is available at Special Collections, housed on level 5 of the Merensky 2 Library, and is part of our Africana (ZAOUV) Collection.

The Special Collections unit of the Department of Library Services plays a stewardship role in the acquisition and preservation of the Library's rare and valuable information resources, making them accessible to students, staff and researchers, as well as safeguarding them for future generations.