Dear Friends:
While mourning the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela, it is worth remembering that New York was Mandela’s first stop in the United States after his release from his long imprisonment. New York institutions led the way in the divestiture campaign and Mandela expressed his respect for its people and the words of inspiration inscribed on the Statue of Liberty in the city’s harbor. In June of 1990 Mandela spoke these words from the steps of City Hall:
You the wonderful citizens of New York have demonstrated in the most visible manner that we the oppressed people of South Africa and the ANC are admired and respected. That indeed it is the dying apartheid system that is totally isolated. Do you the citizens of Queens and Brooklyn through which we passed this morning and to all of you citizens of New York let me say from the bottom of my heart we respect you, we admire you, and above all we love you.. Thank you for the wonderful gift and for the key to the City of New York…
Many observers are fond of comparing to Johannesburg with New York. For our people, New York has a special meaning and even fascination. I am therefore very pleased to receive the key to the city of New York it is I believe in recognition of the heroism and courage of the oppressed people of South Africa. Our people have made abnormal sacrifices in their struggle to eliminate the evil system of Apartheid. They are ready to make even greater sacrifices if needs be to realize the dreams of millions upon millions of people for a united non-racial, non-sexist democratic South Africa. We are pleased to receive this award as it is for us a wonderful expression of the legendary generosity of New Yorker’s…
We want to be able to say in the words of the encryption on the statue of liberty “Give me your tired, your huddled, your poor yearning to be free”. Once more in the name of our long suffering people, I accept the key to the City of New York. It will not be long before we can twin the liberated city of Johannesburg with this vibrant generous and extra-ordinary city. ‘Apartheid Is Doomed’. South Africa shall be free, this struggle continues.
Click here to listen to Mandela’s entire speech delivered at NYC City Hall in June 1990:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/mandelas-historic-speech-nyc-city-hall/#
