Andrea Larsson
Connector Contributor

UMass Lowell welcomed Albie Sachs, former judge on the South African Constitutional Court, to the university on Tuesday. Hosted by the Greeley Scholar Committee and honored by the committee as 2014’s Greeley Scholar, Sachs, former advisor to Nelson Mandela, told the story of South Africa’s fight for civil freedom and equality, during a time where racial tensions amongst its’ people were high. Sachs spoke about the encounters he faced as a freedom activist and his experience working with Mandela.

Sachs, a South African native, was heavily involved in advocating for human rights at a young age. Possessing a strong passion for human equality, Sachs became a member of the African National Committee. During his time as part of the committee, the activist group established the Defiance of Unjust Laws Campaign. In support of their fight, Sachs, Mandela and the committee organized a protest on the 300th anniversary of white settlement in the Cape of South Africa.

Despite Sachs’ and the ANC’s determination and devotion towards creating a civilly unified South African nation, he preached against the use of violence saying “the spirit of freedom” encompassed “non-violence.”

Sachs recapped the history of South African racial inequality, the people fighting for racial justice and the government’s retaliation in response. Specifically recalling how the government banned the organization of freedom committees and public protest against unjust laws that limited black’s rights and liberties, which ultimately lead to Mandela’s fate of 27 years in prison.

Recalling the time during Mandela’s imprisonment, Sachs said, “silence is powerful and Mandela’s silence was more vocal than his words.” He paused intentionally for several seconds after his statement to observe the audience’s reaction. Lightening up the mood, Sachs chuckled how he could have extended the period of silence longer to prove this point.

Sachs then began to speak about the Free Mandela campaign and the events that occurred after Mandela’s release in 1990.

Contributor to the project of the Constitution, he compared the elements of the South African Constitution to those that are lacking in the US Constitution. He mentioned the intolerance of capital punishment and legalization of same sex marriage.

“[It was] not the bill of whites,” said Sachs referring to the newly established South African Bill of Rights; emphasizing the successful establishment of it through accommodation rather than compromise.

“White people are not respected because they’re white, but because they are human beings. Black people are not respected because they’re black but because they are human beings,” he said.

Concluding his inspirational story, Sachs encouraged the audience to follow their dreams and goals, no matter how unreachable they may seem.

“When anybody tells you to get real, don’t get real,” he said, stimulating a roaring round of a standing applause in response.