Here are some ideas of what we would like you to send to us. Every ‘game-changer object’, be it photos, documents or objects will be displayed under our Story of the Day along with the story behind the object. We may ask to acquire some of the objects so that they can physically be displayed at the new museum that is being built at Constitution Hill. We are interested in objects and stories along the following themes: 

The law – How did the unjust laws promulgated under colonial and apartheid governments impact on people’s daily lives? (Objects here might include passbooks, banning orders, restrictions, housing permits, identity documents, etc.)

Family and community life – How did apartheid impact on families and communities and how did they resist the law? (Objects here might include family photos of ordinary life or special occasions as well as unique objects.)

Collective struggle – How did political and community groups resist the laws? (Objects here might include struggle posters, organisational charters, memorabilia, T-shirts and letters.)

The struggle against apartheid – Objects, documents, or photos that resonate an important moment in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Worker’s struggle – What was the contribution of the union movement to the struggle for democracy? (Objects here might include those associated with shop steward and worker responsibility.)

Land – What expresses people’s attachment to the land and also addresses forced removals and dislocation? (Objects here might include title deeds, notices of evictions and house permits.)

Women’s issues – What is peculiar to women’s experiences under apartheid and in the struggle? (Objects here might include women’s passes, documents, and photos of specific women’s organisations.)

Religion and spirituality – What role did organised religion play in the social and political experiences of black people? (Objects here might include the Bible in different languages, religious dress and ritual objects.)

Left-wing Afrikaners – What was the contribution of Afrikaners to the struggle? (Objects here might include those that talk about social cohesion across the divides in the white community.)

Constitution-making until 1990 – What are the specific turning points in the making of our Constitution? (Objects here might relate to key moments such as the 1923 Bill of Rights; 1943 African Claims; 1955 Freedom Charter; 1989 Harare Declaration; as well as the texts, documents, books and commentaries of the racist constitutions of SA.)

The negotiations – Keepsakes of any kind from the tumultuous and challenging moments during the negotiations for a democratic country and the first democratic elections.

Constitution-making from 1990 onwards – What documents or objects do you have that speak to the adoption of the final Constitution? (Objects here might include film, radio, party political, photographic, and especially oral histories about the behind-the-scenes interactions during CODESA and CA.)

The Constitutional Court – Any material related to the many cases that have been heard before the Constitutional Court since its inauguration in 1995. 

The Constitutional Assembly – Materials related to the writing of the final Constitution between May 1994 and May 1996. 

Contemporary struggles for democracy – Documents around the constitutional struggles in contemporary South Africa from 1994 onwards focusing on key events such as the Marikana massacre and the Life Esidimeni tragedy. They can be happy or sad, ordinary or inspirational, surprising or predictable.