Witness History BBC Podcasts

On 18 March 1992, white South Africans overwhelmingly backed a mandate for political reforms to end apartheid and create a power-sharing multi-racial government.
It was a high-stakes referendum coming on the back of three by-elections where the ruling National Party had lost to the right wing Conservative party.
In a speech after the polling victory, President FW de Klerk said: “Today we have closed the book on apartheid”. His communications adviser, David Steward speaks to Josephine McDermott.
(Photo: President FW de Klerk with news of the referendum win. Credit: AP)

Major Charity Adams was the first African-American woman to lead a World War Two battalion. It was known as the Six-Triple-Eight (6888).
The 6888 was a majority African-American women’s unit, the women sorted through mountains of post across Europe, using the motto: 'No Mail, Low Morale'.
Charity went on to become lieutenant colonel, the highest possible rank for women in her unit. She died in 2002.
Her son, Stanley Earley, speaks to Marverine Cole.
This was a Soundtruism production for the BBC World Service.
(Photo: American Women's Army Corps Captain Mary Kearney and American Commanding Officer Major Charity Adams inspect the first arrivals to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Credit. Archive Photos/Getty Images)