Subversive Historian

[Moorbey]

The Trial of Nelson Mandela

Back in the day on October 22nd, 1962, Nelson Mandela stood trial for
inciting workers to strike and for leaving South Africa without a
passport. The African National Congress member set out to put the
injustices of the government itself on trial as he took up the task of
defending himself. Mandela, who had been arrested that August, took the
initiative in asking for the presiding judge to recuse himself from the
case due to bias. The freedom fighter and attorney-at-law then went on to
challenge the viability of the trial on the grounds that he, as a black
man, could not possibly be given a fair trail in white dominated South
Africa. Following up with his argument, Mandela said that since no
parliamentary representation was given to Black South Africans, he was not
morally or legally bound to obey laws made by the legislative body. By the
trial?s end, Mandela never denied that he traveled outside the country
without a passport. Neither did he say in his closing remarks that he did
not incite workers to strike. Mandela solely contested that these actions
were criminal.

The judge disagreed and sentenced the longtime symbol of freedom to five
years imprisonment on Robben Island.

For Uprising, this is your truth professa? saying it?s no mystery why they
conceal our people?s history

Listen to this segment:
http://www.archive.org/download/Dail...9_10_22_sh.mp3