African National Congress Women's League
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The African National Congress Women's League is an organization under the African National Congress which is catered to female members and supporters of the party. It was founded in 1931 as the Bantu Women's League, with Charlotte Maxeke as its first president. It was integrated into the ANC during the period from 1943, when women were first admitted as members of the ANC, to 1948, when the ANCWL was officially founded. It participated with the Federation of South African Women in protests against the apartheid-era government, such as the 1952 Defiance Campaign and the passbook protests of August 9, 1956. In 1956, Lilian Ngoyi became the first elected female member of the ANC NEC.
Among the activists and politicians who were allied with the ANC during the apartheid years are:
- Lilian Ngoyi
- Helen Joseph
- Dorothy Nyembe
- Sophie du Bruyn
- Ray Alexander and Rayn Alexander
- Rahima Moosa
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
