In the year 1959 , just leading up to this period , the National Party ( N.P. ) established universities that were exclusively for black students . This action aligned with the Party 's goal of ensuring racial segregation in all educational systems . Although the ANC and others opposed to apartheid had initially focused on non-violent campaigns , the brutality of the Sharpeville massacre of 21 March 1960 caused many blacks to embrace the idea of violent resistance to apartheid . However , although the ANC 's armed wing started its campaign in 1962 , no victory was in sight by the time that Steve Biko was a medical student in the late 1960s . This is because the organization was banned in 1960 , preventing it from having a strong influence in South African politics for approximately two decades . During this same time , students of colour " marched out " of the National Union of South African Students organization which , although it was multiracial , was still " dominated " by white students . Even as the nation 's leading opposition groups like the ANC proclaimed a commitment to armed struggle , their leaders had failed to organise a credible military effort . If their commitment to revolution had inspired many , the success of the white regime in squashing it had dampened the spirits of many
Sharpeville massacre
Sharpeville massacre
Black Consciousness Movement