lang: en
Summary
From 1978 to 1986, students at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia campaigned to pressure the college to divest from South Africa in protest of apartheid. The students used tactics such as boycotts, vigils, and alumni influence, and they worked with other Atlanta University Center institutions. In April 1986, the Spelman College Board of Trustees voted to fully divest, achieving the campaign’s goal.
Background
In the 1970s, anti-apartheid campaigns in the United States gained momentum, with many universities investing in South Africa. Spelman College, a historically black women’s college in Atlanta, Georgia, was one such institution. Students felt a strong connection to Africans suffering under apartheid and sought to remove financial support from the South African government by getting Spelman to divest.
What happened
The campaign began in 1978 when NAACP leaders encouraged Spelman students to boycott the Davis Cup tennis tournament because the South African team had no black players [source: nv-database]. Over the next seven years, students used a variety of tactics, including interviewing South African students for the student newspaper The Spelman Spotlight and hosting South African speakers on campus [source: nv-database]. They also held a vigil in 1985 commemorating Dr. [source: nv-database] Martin Luther King Jr.’s death [source: nv-database]. Unlike some other colleges, Spelman students rarely used overt activism and instead relied heavily on wealthy alumni to influence the college’s decision [source: nv-database]. In April 1986, the Spelman College Board of Trustees voted to completely divest from South Africa [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Spelman College Students
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Atlanta University Center (AUC)
- Spelman College Board of Trustees
- Betsy Amerson
Tactics used
The campaign combined public narrative (student newspaper features and speeches) with coalition-building (working with NAACP and AUC) and a boycott, while leveraging alumni influence to pressure the board without relying on large-scale protests. [source: nv-database]
Outcome
Verdict: won.
The campaign achieved its goal when the trustees voted to fully divest in April 1986, despite concerns about the college’s small endowment. The success is attributed to the students’ persistent efforts and the influence of wealthy alumni, though the campaign was not large or tightly organized. [source: nv-database]
Lessons
- Leveraging influential alumni can be an effective tactic for institutional change, especially when direct activism is limited.
- Building coalitions with other organizations and institutions can amplify a campaign’s reach and pressure.
- Personalizing an issue through media and speakers can build empathy and support among the community.
Sources
- Global Nonviolent Action Database —
[[nv-database]]
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py