“Rising every time we fall” – Nelson Mandela

Mandela s-s on whiteMark Perryman of Philosophy Football explains the initiative they have launched in memory of Mandela to raise funds for social justice in South Africa today.

Nelson Mandela’s unique achievement lies in dreaming of a free society, fighting for that dream in the face of the most vicious oppression, never surrendering that dream during the long years of imprisonment. And then turning the dream into some kind, however imperfect, of reality that shines brightly compared to South Africa’s still recent Apartheid past.

Our T-shirt with exclusive portrait specially created by Philosophy Football co-founder Hugh Tisdale, depicts the young Mandela. The dreamer, the fighter, the courageous resistance he showed at his Rivonia Trial in 1964 before the 26 years of imprisonment he would face. Continue reading →

Watch: Tracy Chapman at the 1988 Mandela concert

Listen, watch, and just feel the atmosphere. Think about what David Cameron was up to – the following year, no less, after these crowds filled Wembley. And even just appreciate the greatest political songwriter of recent times. Over at Consequence of Sound, they contend that it was Chapman’s second appearance, in which she performed Fast Car, at the star-studded conference that was the most powerful. I wasn’t there – but from the videos, I have to disagree. Never could Talkin Bout a Revolution be more poignant.

It’s the opening track of a debut album that remains unashamedly political throughout – and it kicks off a condemnation of domestic violence, the American dream, racism and the simplistic understandings of politics that we’re fed day after day from above. There are few albums I would implore you to listen to in their entirety more than this one. But here, in this one performance of the album’s first song, you almost don’t need the rest. And when you see Tracy’s smile at the end, you can she recognises it, and she means it: yes, finally the tables are starting to turn. It will only be a matter of time. And it was.