The Soweto Uprising was a series of protests that began on June 16, 1976, in Soweto, a township near Johannesburg, South Africa. The uprising was sparked by the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in black schools, which many students opposed. The protests quickly escalated, leading to violent clashes between students and police. The event is significant in the struggle against apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa. The uprising drew international attention to the injustices faced by black South Africans and became a pivotal moment in the fight for equality and human rights in the country.