Nzima

Sam Nzima, testimony before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 22 July 1996, Soweto Hearings, day 1.

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Sam Nzima thought that girls had mostly stayed in the background.

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Confrontation: Sam Nzima "saw the police were coming from the west towards the students."

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Photographer Sam Nzima captured the moment on film. 1

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Leaders: Press photographer Sam Nzima followed students who were marching toward the east to Orlando

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Sam Nzima explained that some children were just leaving their classes and joined them, the march … I do not remember seeing anyone wresting them

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Another team of reporters from The World — Willy Bokala, the photographer Sam Nzima, and reporters

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

As I had done some work for the museum, the curator welcomed my students and myself and — a few minutes later — introduced me to the gentleman who had been standing at his side: Sam Nzima.

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

My thank you goes to the nameless (police) photographers who documented the uprising — their work provided valuable insight into the state's point of view and a chilling foil to the images taken by Sam Nzima, Peter Magubane and other black photographers who have left us with many striking historical photographs of the uprising.

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005

Reluctant to be responsible for yet another (mis) appropriation, I searched for Sam Nzima to secure permission to use his photograph of

'I Saw a Nightmare …' Doing Violence to Memory: The Soweto Uprising, June 16, 1976 2005