Helen Newton Thompson

Helen Newton Thompson, an anti-apartheid political activist and founding member of the Black Sash, has for the most part of history, been a fleeting footnote mentioned once or twice among her better known, women comrades. Her political activism started on 19 May 1955, while having tea with five of her white English speaking friends in Johannesburg, as they discussed indignantly how the National Party (NP) wanted to remove the “Coloured” voters from the common voters roll. [1] This was done to artificially enlarge the Senate. [2] Newton Thompson was outraged as she knew that this would increase the numbers of the NP representatives in the Senate, which would enable them to amend the 1910 Constitution. [3] Wanting to stop the passing of the Separate Representation of Voter’s Bill, Newton Thompson, together with Jean Sinclair, Ruth Foley, Elizabeth McLaren, Tertia Pybus and Jean Bosazza, decided to launch the “Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League.” [4] As the founding members of the Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League, they decided they would organize marches, petitions and meetings to fight against the apartheid regime. [5] This league also aimed to enable white women to become a part of the struggle against apartheid. However, regardless of their marches against the Separate Representation of Voters Bill, it was passed. With the passing of this law, Helen and members of the Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League, wore a black sash as a symbolic replica of the Constitution and mourned the loss of the Constitutional rights. [6] The black sash Newton Thomson and her female comrades wore, became iconic. The Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League’s title was soon changed thereafter to the Black Sash. [7]

Six months after the Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League was founded, Helen, together with the five other founding members held a meeting in Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape). There they discussed their tactics and the importance of the Black Sash. [8] During this meeting, they mentioned how they wanted to highlight the racist and “undemocratic” practices of the NP, through silent protests and wearing Black Sashes. [9] The minutes of the meeting stated that “Ministers had to be looked at”, to unsettle them, while a group of White English speaking women used their silence to challenge them. [10]

As a member of the Black Sash Helen Newton Thompson also became involved in protesting against the pass laws. Together with other members of the Black Sash, they set up a Bail Fund to assist arrested women who were found without their passes. [11] Soon thereafter, they set up the first Black Sash advice office to offer legal advice. [12] As a member of the Black Sash she also protested against the Promotion of the Bantu Self-Government Bill, which forcibly removed blacks from their homes to reserves, to separate people of colour from white areas. [13]

During the 1960’s, the NP actively tried to suppress political activists, by banning political leaders and sending them into exile. However, the Black Sash group remained functional. They protested silently by witnessing the forced removals, attending court cases and giving legal advice. They continued to fight against the apartheid legislation with financial aid, legal aid or silent protests.

Helen Newton Thompson’s life is found in the history books, through the oppositional Black Sash she founded, together with Jean Sinclair, Ruth Foley, Elizabeth McLaren, Tertia Pybus and Jean Bosazza. It was through her involvement in meetings, discussing the tactics of the Black Sash and the role that they would play, that Nelson Mandela remarked: “The Black Sash was the conscience of White South Africa.” Newton Thompson’s conscience is seen through her actions, as together with other members of the Black Sash, she enabled Black South Africans to be empowered through legal and financial aid, while fighting alongside them.

End notes

[1] Eileen Benjamin, “An historical analysis of aspects of the Black Sash, 1955 – 2001”, Master Diss., University of Stellenbosch, 2004, 50. ↵

[2] Ibid. ↵

[3] Author Unknown, “History of the Black Sash”, Black Sash, (Uploaded: Unknown), (Accessed: 9 April 2020), Available at: http://www.blacksash.org.za/index.php/our-legacy/history-of-the-black-sash ↵

[4] Author Unknown, “History of the Black Sash”, Black Sash, (Uploaded: Unknown), (Accessed: 9 April 2020), Available at: http://www.blacksash.org.za/index.php/our-legacy/history-of-the-black-sash ↵

[5] Ibid. ↵

[6] Ibid. ↵

[7] Ibid. ↵

[8] Marriane Thamm, “Six Months after Jean Sinclair, Ruth Folley, Elizabeth McLaren, Tertia Pybus, Jean Bosazza and Helen Newton Thompson launched the Women’s Defence of the Constitutional League over tea on 19 May 1955, the organization held a conference in Port Elizabeth”,  SA People News, (Uploaded: 17 May 2016), (Accessed: 9 April 2020), Available at: https://www.sapeople.com/2016/05/17/conscience-white-sa-celebrating-black-sash-60-years-later/ ↵

[9] Ibid. ↵

[10] Ibid. ↵

[11] Author Unknown, “History of the Black Sash”, Black Sash, (Uploaded: Unknown), (Accessed: 9 April 2020), Available at: http://www.blacksash.org.za/index.php/our-legacy/history-of-the-black-sash ↵

[12] Ibid. ↵

[13] Ibid. ↵