Telegram sent by Bayard Rustin reporting on the 1979 Rhodesian elections, where he commented on evolving Black-White relations under the new constitution. Rustin’s notes reflect on the challenges of transitioning from minority rule to majority governance and assess early signs of reconciliation and persistent tensions in post-colonial Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
Following a protracted guerrilla war and international sanctions, the Lancaster House Agreement, signed in December 1979 in London, ended the UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) regime in Rhodesia. Negotiated by Britain and the rival white-minority government led by Ian Smith alongside Black nationalist leaders Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, it laid out a new constitution guaranteeing universal suffrage, set a timetable for transitional British supervision, and provided for monitored elections. These elections in April 1979 marked the first time the Black majority could vote under internationally recognized rules, ultimately leading to the birth of Zimbabwe in April 1980. Rustin’s telegram thus captures insights at a watershed moment when colonial-era segregationist governance gave way to majority rule, mirroring global decolonization trends and offering parallels—and lessons—for American struggles over racial justice.
Citation (Chicago Style): Bayard Rustin, Telegram to [Recipient], April 2, 1979, U.S. National Archives, https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=17104&dt=2776&dl=2169.
