Telegram relaying preliminary results and observations of the Rhodesian elections, highlighting a 63.9% voter turnout with some districts reporting turnouts exceeding estimated eligible voters. Rustin, as a U.S. observer, affirmed the elections were free and fair and emphasized the historic significance of electing a Black prime minister. He also questioned the inconsistent sanctions policies of the U.S. toward Rhodesia and South Africa.
Telegram on Rhodesian Election Turnout
Declassified U.S. State Department telegram from the American Embassy in Pretoria reporting on the first day of voting in the Rhodesian elections. It documents a heavy turnout—nearly 20 percent of eligible voters—with few guerrilla incidents and a peaceful student demonstration at the University of Rhodesia. Bayard Rustin, serving as an unofficial observer for Freedom House, is quoted praising the orderly conduct of polling stations and the enthusiastic behavior of voters.
Bayard Rustin Observes Rhodesian Elections
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).
