Official Blog
Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture
Walk in the footsteps of South Africa’s freedom fighters
April 22, 2015
On April 27, 1994, Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa in the country’s first democratic, post-Apartheid election. Known now as “
Freedom Day
,” that date has become a symbol of hope in South Africa and around the world. To commemorate this historic day, we’ve partnered with the
Robben Island Museum
and the
Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
to bring the story of this UNESCO World Heritage Site online for the world to explore. The
Maps gallery
and
Cultural Institute online tour
allow people everywhere to see the island where Nelson Mandela and many of South Africa’s freedom fighters were imprisoned during their quest for equality.
As a symbol of South Africa’s struggle for freedom, Robben Island has become a destination for people to connect with Mandela and other freedom fighters. Standing in Mandela’s 8 x 7 foot
prison cell
, it's hard to believe someone could spend 18 years here. Exploring the
historical artifacts
on the
tour
, you can also see
photographs
of his cell during the time of his imprisonment. You can imagine Mandela sitting at the cramped desk, surrounded by books and papers, working towards a future of freedom for all.
Photograph of Mandela’s Cell c.1971
Robben Island was also where activist
Robert Sobukwe
was imprisoned, kept in solitary confinement for more than three years after taking a stand against the
Pass Law
, which required black citizens to carry an internal passport and severely limited their mobility. Exploring Sobukwe’s
home on Robben Island
, you can learn more about the man who didn’t let prison halt his attempts to make equality a reality. You can even view the pages of his
notebook
, which is still kept on his desk today.
Robert Sobukwe’s house of solitary confinement on Robben Island
In the new online
exhibitions
on the Cultural Institute platform, you can also listen to prisoners’ personal anecdotes about life at this infamous prison, including memories of where they were forced to
work
as well as how they studied and came together to create a unified vision for freedom in South Africa. You can see some personal items donated by former political prisoners, including a
football trophy
from the their FIFA-recognized league, hand-drawn
table tennis awards
, a
treasured trumpet
, and a
duplicate master key
fashioned by a prisoner from lead.
View of the Lime Quarry, the site of enforced prison labor at Robben Island
Once a symbol of the oppressive Apartheid regime,
Robben Island
is now a memorial and a reminder of the human spirit’s irrepressible search for freedom. We hope you’ll take a moment to step back in time to
explore and be inspired
by the island’s story of hope and humanity.
Posted by Luke McKend, Country Director for Google South Africa
Labels
accessibility
41
acquisition
26
ads
131
Africa
19
Android
59
apps
419
April 1
4
Asia
39
books + book search
48
commerce
12
computing history
7
crisis response
33
culture
12
developers
120
diversity
35
doodles
68
education and research
144
entrepreneurs at Google
14
Europe
46
faster web
16
free expression
61
google.org
73
googleplus
50
googlers and culture
203
green
102
Latin America
18
maps and earth
194
mobile
125
online safety
19
open source
19
photos
39
policy and issues
139
politics
71
privacy
66
recruiting and hiring
32
scholarships
31
search
505
search quality
24
search trends
118
security
36
small business
31
user experience and usability
41
youtube and video
140
Archive
2016
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2008
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2007
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2006
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2005
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2004
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Feed
Google
on
Follow @google
Follow
Give us feedback in our
Product Forums
.
Follow
