the African men's prison. Yet the prison authorities still sought to physically separate these defendants by race and gender in their meeting space. Mandela describes the practical dilemma the proponents of apartheid faced:The authorities erected an iron grille to separate Helen and Leon [Levy] (as whites) from us and a second partition to separate them from Lilian and Bertha [Mashaba Gxowa] (as African women) ... Even a master architect would have had trouble designing such a structure. Trial timeline December 1956: 156 anti-apartheid leaders arrested December 1956 – January 1958: Preparatory examination in a magistrates court to determine if there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial. November 1957: Prosecution rewords the indictment and proceeded a separate trial against 30 accused. The remaining 61 accused were to be tried separately before the case against them was dismissed in mid 1959. August 1959: Trial against 30 defendants proceeds in the Supreme Court. 5 March 1960: Chief Luthuli's testimony begins. 8 April 1960: ANC is declared banned in the wake of the State of Emergency declared after the Sharpeville massacre. Defendants retained in custody for five months and trial resumes without lawyers for several months. May 1960: Helen Joseph and 21 left-wing white women detained during the State of Emergence embark on an eight-day hunger strike. The children of detainees protest outside Johannesburg City Hall. 3 August 1960: Mandela's testimony begins. 7 October 1960: Defense closes. 23 March 1961: Trial adjourned for a week. 29 March 1961: Accused are found not guilty. See also Little Rivonia Trial Upington 26 Notes References External links ANC Treason Trial resources Treason Trial on the Google Cultural Institute 1956 in South African law 1961 in South African law Trials in South Africa Opposition to apartheid in South Africa Events associated with apartheid Trial, 1956-1961 Treason in South Africa Treason trials History of Johannesburg 1950s in Johannesburg 1960s in Johannesburg