Myth and Reality in South Africa's History: A Conflicted Past

History matters. Some wish to bury it; others to use it selectively for their own purposes. But in the case of any nation it must be confronted honestly. Just as the Freedom Charter proclaims that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, so does its history. And the country was liberated by its people, not one specific group. 
Myth and Reality in South Africa’s History is a collection of eighty newspaper opinion pieces and feature articles published over a span of thirty years. Their purpose was to examine significant past lives, movements and events, and interpret their contemporary significance for a general readership. Emphasis was placed on individuals and organisations that had tended to be neglected by post-liberation discourse, which was prone to exaggerate the role of certain movements. 
 The intention was to challenge a monochrome version of national history by emphasising pluralism and diversity. Underlying themes are continuity of faith in universal human rights, individual empowerment and psychological liberation in the face of power, both under and after apartheid. 
The chapters of this book are arranged by broad chronology regardless of date of publication to produce a historical narrative; pulled together by a short introduction to modern South African history.