Former South African FW de Klerk speaks to students

Former South African FW de Klerk speaks to students
Photo by Russ Houston

March 8, 2012

Former South African president F.W. de Klerk, who shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for helping end his country's apartheid policies, took time for a question-and-answer session with students in the Union prior to speaking in Lee Hall Wednesday night. Praised for his key role in abolishing the harsh racial segregation laws and helping create a multi-racial democracy, de Klerk accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with black anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. Long imprisoned by the white-led government for his efforts, Mandela followed de Klerk in office as president, while de Klerk became a deputy president.