
Twenty years ago today I was standing on the football pitch at Wembley making history -just one insignificant person amongst more than 72, ooo young people. 600 million more people watched on television. We heard Tracy Chapman sing for the first time in the United Kingdom, a small figure with a guitar, filling us all with her words.
Then, in the dark, the stadium was filled with small flames as Dire Straits sang Brothers in Arms. That feeling, of being there, of having been there together with all those quiet people listening in togetherness, is still ineffable after all those years.
This concert marked a turning point for South Africa. The previous year had seen the extension of the State of Emergency, originally imposed in 1985 and intent on ensuring the survival of the apartheid regime. By 1988 30,000 people had been detained.
The influence of the world was too much for the government to ignore. F W de Clerk became the President of South Africa in 1989 and began freeing many black political prisoners. On 2nd February 1990 he delivered his famous “unbanning” speech. Nelson Mandela was released on 11th February 1990. The first nonracial democratic elections were held on 27th April 1994 and Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa.
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June 12, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Aurelie
Hum hum, Tracy Chapman didn’t play for the first time in the UK on June 1988 but back in March that same year when she shared the stage with 10,000 Maniacs in London. But it was her very first time in such a big venue!
June 12, 2008 at 11:11 pm
adifferentvoice
I defer to your greater knowledge. Thank you for the correction. I thought she was wonderful, and her songs still move me like almost no others.
July 18, 2008 at 3:01 pm
andy
I recorded this concert live off the TV and will pull it out and play it out every once in a while on Mandela’s birthday.
Listening today and it more moving than 20 years ago. You almost never get a happy ending like this with political prisoners.
Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!
July 20, 2008 at 1:10 pm
adifferentvoice
I caught a birthday tribute on the radio, when Mandela’s PA said all he needed now was “freedom”. I thought that was an odd thing to say, but I think she meant that now, after all these years, he deserves time to himself and his family away from everyone.