It this time of overall uncertainty, protests like these remind us that change is never quick or easy, but as South African exile Sipo Mzimela said at an MDCC rally in 1987, “Apartheid is built on evil, through and through…And nothing that is built on evil can last forever.”

The overall success of these rallies was mixed. UF never fully divested, even by the end of the 1980s. UM partially divested but claimed it was not due to the protests. USF and FSU fully divested by 1989, years after the initial protests occurred on their campuses.

In September 1985, a coalition of students from UM, FIU, and Miami Dade CC staged joint protests and called for "rallies simultaneously on all college campuses in Florida.” They were joined by members of the SCLC and local anti-apartheid movements within Miami’s Black community.

Elsewhere across the state, FSU and FAMU staged multiple protests on campus and capitol grounds, including in October 1985 when Randall Robinson, founder of TransAfrica, spoke on the steps of the state house, flanked by students from both universities.

However, tent camps were set up outside of Tigert Hall and remained there for forty days. UFPD seized unattended posters, claiming they violated university rules for “permanent posting”. Another counter-protester even drove his Ford Mustang through the camp.

Of course, the use of police force was condemned, but the tactics were in no way dissimilar to what we have seen on campuses all across the country. From my research, the administration had very little sympathy for these protesters and looked at them with open scorn.

Most dramatically, on April 25th, protestors blocked Tigert Hall and manacled the doors with bike chains. University police arrested 27 people, including faculty and students. The local student paper reported students once again were “Taking It To The Streets”.

UF was one of the first major sites of protest. The Student Coalition Against Apartheid and Racism (SCAAR) worked with other student organizations to demand that UF divest some $3 million from companies directly doing business in SA. The group soon became a campus-spanning force.

It’s critical to know that, like today, college campuses in Florida are key spaces for not only protests but protestor education. In January 1985, Florida Memorial College (now FMU) hosted talks where local anti-apartheid movements built strategies for their communities and campuses.

Repost of one of my most substantial threads from Twitter.
As divestment protests on FL campuses grew last year, I thought it helpful to understand the history of similar protests that took place across FL related to the anti-apartheid movement. While not a perfect parallel, similarities remain.🧵

I'm thrilled to announce that I've signed a contract with the University Press of Florida for a monograph on the anti-apartheid movement in Florida! What started as an academic research diversion has morphed into a full-blown book project! Watch this space for more as the project progresses!