They demonstrated against a passport law, which required Africans to carry internal passports at all times; failure to do so resulted in imprisonment. As they burnt their passports  in a public square in Sharpeville, they were shot down, point blank, by the local police . The press was present,the world was outraged, Trade Unions worldwide boycotted SA goods.   It took three more decades to abolish Apartheid in South Africa.But the Sharpeville massacre was the beginning of its end,
​ It was an event which changed history,

     The Sharpeville  Series was presented to Albert Lutuli at the Nobel Peace Price ceremony  in 1961.

     Albert Lutuli was a Freedom Fighter and leading member of the ANC. He was allowed to leave his house arrest in SA long enough to travel to Oslo to receive his Nobel Peace Price.
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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Lutuli