1902: Boer War Ends, Reinforcing White Supremacy in South Africa

The Treaty of Vereeniging, signed on May 31, 1902, ended the Second Boer War between the British Empire and Afrikaner republics in South Africa. While the treaty ended armed conflict, it laid the groundwork for institutionalized white supremacy. The British promised political rights only to white settlers, excluding the majority Black population from governance and land ownership. This agreement set the stage for apartheid, formalized decades later. Black South Africans who had served in British forces were left without recognition or benefits. May 31 is thus a sobering date in international Black history, revealing how colonial peace often came at the expense of African rights and freedoms. The treaty\’s legacy is one of betrayal and systemic disenfranchisement, reinforcing the need to examine how global empires constructed racial hierarchies that persist today. It underscores the importance of historical reckoning in the postcolonial era.