▁call ▁for ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁" year ▁of ▁real ism ". ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁ ▁The ▁Sh ar pe ville ▁Mass acre ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁trigger ing ▁mass ▁under ground ▁resistance ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁international ▁solid ar ity ▁demonstr ations . ▁This ▁event ▁is ▁sometimes ▁c ited ▁as ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁world wide ▁struggle ▁against ▁apart heid . ▁South ▁African ▁activ ists ▁and ▁academ ics ▁describe ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁turning ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁resistance , ▁mark ing ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁non vi ol ence ▁and ▁liberal ism . ▁Some ▁say ▁that ▁its ▁biggest ▁impact ▁came ▁in ▁making ▁white ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁aware ▁of ▁the ▁brut ality ▁with ▁which ▁political ▁Black s ▁were ▁being ▁suppress ed . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 5 , ▁a ▁refer endum ▁was ▁passed ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁which ▁abol ished ▁the ▁mon archy , ▁which ▁set ▁up ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁leaving ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Nations ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁over ▁its ▁ra cial ▁policies . ▁ ▁United ▁Nations ▁ ▁In ▁October , ▁Gh ana ian ▁president ▁K w ame ▁N k rum ah ▁delivered ▁an ▁address ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁discussed ▁Africa ' s ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁the ▁future ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁Africa . ▁ ▁N k rum ah ▁assert ed ▁Africa ' s ▁new ▁power , ▁saying ▁it ▁did ▁not ▁wish ▁reven ge ▁on ▁its ▁European ▁colon izers , ▁but ▁would ▁ins ist ▁on