Who Were the 20 000 Women? Write Her Into History
On 9 August 1956, thousands of women from across South Africa gathered in Pretoria and marched
to the Union Buildings to protest the discriminatory pass laws. The historic Women’s March has
become one of the defining moments in South Africa’s struggle for freedom and equality.
Four women are widely remembered as leaders of the march: Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Lilian
Ngoyi and Sophie Williams-De Bruyn. Their courage and leadership remain an important part of our
history. Yet behind these well-known names were thousands of ordinary women who stood
alongside them, each contributing to a moment that would become an enduring symbol of resistance.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is seeking to identify these women through its “Who Were the 20
000 Women? Write Her Into History” campaign. The initiative aims to recover and document the
names of the women who participated in the historic march, ensuring that those whose stories have
remained largely undocumented are not forgotten.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is calling on families, communities and members of the public to
come forward with information that can help identify the women who marched to the Union Buildings
on 9 August 1956.
Names can be submitted to info@kathradafoundation.org.
By remembering these women, we ensure that their contribution does not remain anonymous. We
give them their place in history and help future generations understand that the strength of the 1956
Women’s March was not only in its four famous leaders, but in the thousands who stood with them.
