South African police open fire on Black students protesting the imposition of Afrikaans in schools in Soweto, killing many, including children.
At a Glance
- Date
- 16 June 1976
- Location
- Soweto, South Africa
- Key people
- Hector Pieterson
- Category
- Diaspora & Global
- Source
- Contemporary press (1976) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
It reignited the global anti-apartheid movement.
What It Means Now
June 16 is now South Africa's Youth Day.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Soweto Uprising.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-soweto-uprising/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Soweto Uprising. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-soweto-uprising/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Soweto Uprising.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-soweto-uprising/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.