Towards a Just Peace

Towards a Just Peace

Chicago Anti-Apartheid

The End-Conscription Campaign was an anti-apartheid organization created in the 1980s. The campaign opposes obligatory military service, specifically in South Africa. ECC gave a raise to popular anti-war culture with a series of protest tactics, one of them being their series of anti-apartheid and anti-conscription protest posters. This silkscreen printed poster states the basic rights the people of South Africa demand for in order to reach a peaceful society. The words on each arm depict a different need, which read “Feed, Teach, House, Employ.” The two hands in the middle breaking a gun in half are a representation of anti-war. The arms in the poster are rising up towards the bright sun with leaves growing out of them. This is a representation of growth and hopefulness. The bright blue paint draws attention to the poster. It is not a subtle poster, it makes the viewer stop and pay attention. Artists from this time period had to fight to get their message heard by creating loud visuals. In an article reported by Juliet Highet called Apartheid's Artistic Legacy, South African artist Willie Bester revealed that he used his art as a way to fight back, he mentioned, "I was angry ... so I used my work as a tool against apartheid. I didn't care if it matched your curtains or not. My art was a chance to be heard…” ECC had the same mindset with their set of anti-apartheid and anti-conscription posters, they created posters that are meant to be heard and create change.

Columbia College Chicago Students

Chicago Anti-Apartheid Movement Collection, College Archives & Special Collections, Columbia College Chicago

College Archives & Special Collections, Columbia College Chicago.

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“The oral histories are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. “ All rights remain with the creators.

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