1990 – Free South Africa

THE EVENT:

The Nelson Mandela, an international tribute for a free South Africa, was a concert scheduled on April 16, 1990 at the Wembley Stadium to celebrate the release of Nelson Mandela after 27 years in jail. Most of singers that were line-up performed 5 years before at the Nelson Mandela 70th Tribute Concert. Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Simple Minds and many others sang to celebrate a great victory for justice and humanity.

16 Apr 1990, London, England, UK – Tracy Chapman Performing at a Concert for Nelson Mandela © Peter Turnley/CORBIS

16 Apr 1990, London, England, UK – Tracy Chapman Performing at a Concert for Nelson Mandela © Peter Turnley/CORBIS

16 Apr 1990, London, England, UK – Tracy Chapman Performing at a Concert for Nelson Mandela © Peter Turnley/CORBIS

Screenshot from televised show.

Ticket of the Nelson Mandela, an international tribute for a free South Africa concert

TRACY CHAPMAN SETLIST:
– Born To Fight
– Freedom Now
– No More I Love You’s (cover)
– Talkin’Bout A Revolution
– Don’t Give Up (duet w/ Peter Gabriel)

VIDEOS

Born To Fight & Freedom Now


Talkin’Bout A Revolution

Don’t Give Up (with Peter Gabriel)

NELSON MANDELA / TRACY CHAPMAN: THE MEETING

In his book “Conversation with myself” published in 2010 Nelson Mandela recalls the first time he saw Tracy Chapman perform and how excited he was:

QUOTES

“I have cherish the ideal of a democratc and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live and achieve”
– Nelson Mandela, April 1964 before being sentenced to life imprisonment at the Rivona tiral.

“I do believe that if enough people think something can happen, that eventually turns into action. People don’t realize they do have the power to change things.”
– Tracy Chapman