Denis Goldberg
South African social campaigner
Life and Accomplishments
Denis Goldberg was a white South African who supported the anti-apartheid movement. He joined the South African Communist Party and eventually became one of the leaders of the Congress of Democrats. He ended up being arrested, and was a defendant in the Rivonia Trial. He was the only white member to recieve life imprisonment as a result of the trial. He was very productive during the twenty two years he spent in prison. He got degrees in History, Geography, and more. Upon being released he continued his work as a social activist.
Denis Goldberg was very influential in the anti-apartheid movement. As a white man, he was able to help bridge the gap between races that the apartheid had created. He established the COP (Congress of Democrats), which was a white anti-apartheid organization. He recruited people of all races and helped to unify the many cultures within South Africa. Goldberg worked alongside leaders like Nelson Mandela and organized apartheid protests. As a white man Goldberg was not a victim of the apartheid, however he still recognized that it was immoral and risked his life to fight for the rights of others.
Denis Goldberg - Sentenced with Mandela - PROMO
Sources
"Denis Theodore Goldberg." SAHistory. South African History Online. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
"Denis Goldberg, for Years at Mandela's Side, Recalls Their Struggles." Public Radio International. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.