*On this date in 1960, the South African Nationalist Government banned the African National Congress (ANC).
The ANC continued to operate underground in South Africa. Outside the country, it established itself as the official voice of South Africa's vote-less people. By the 1970s, recognition of the ANC's legitimacy was growing among non-governmental anti-apartheid organizations and foreign governments. By 1980, the ANC had offices and representatives in 32 countries.
The external missions worked to win support for the overthrow of apartheid by promoting the cause of the ANC and urging international economic pressure against the South African government. The missions also assisted South African exiles. Following the organization's banning, Oliver Tambo, the President General of the ANC, left South Africa to head the ANC's external operations.
