Robert (Bob) Climie was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland on 4th January 1868. He was the son of Robert Climie (who is recorded as working as a coalminer, hammerman, bolt maker and a colliery fireman) and a bonnet knitter (Mary McGarvie). Educated at the local School Board, Robert served his apprenticeship at the Britannia Works continuing with them as a journeyman. Early in his career he became involved in trade union activity and joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP).

As part of his political activity he spoke at the ILP’s outdoor meetings against the Boer War and was first elected as a local ILP councillor in 1905, developing a particularl interest in public health and housing.

Nominated by Ayrshire Trades Council, Robert Climie was a member of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) Parliamentary Committee from 1910 to 1918 and 1920 to 1923. He was the eighteenth STUC President in 1914 and was presented with a commemorative gong in honour of this position.

In the 1923 General Election Robert was returned as Labour MP for Kilmarnock, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1922. He was narrowly defeated in the 1924 General Election but won the seat back again in May 1929.

Robert was married to Jane [or Jeannie] McIldowie Meikle, also a Labour Party activist, and had a family of six sons and one daughter. He died on 3 October 1929 at the age of 61.

“…a small man of medium build, with dark hair and moustache, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was moderate in all things, always hard-working in the labour cause and a lifelong supporter of Ramsay MacDonald.” (Kilmarnock Standard, October 1929)

Brian Filling held several concurrent roles within the Scottish Committee for the Anti-Apartheid Movement, including: Scottish Committee Chair, Glasgow Group Committee Chair and Scottish Committee for Local Authority Action Against Apartheid Secretary.

John Nelson held several positions in the Scottish Committee for the Anti-Apartheid Movement, including: Scottish Committee Secretary, he sat on the Board of Directors for SECHABA Festivals Ltd. As of 2016 he still holds the position of Secretary for ACTSA Scotland, successor organisation to the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Baird was a Labour Party Councillor and held the position of Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1988 to 1992. She presented Indres Naidoo with a giant key to symbolically open the door to Mandela's cell at the 1988 Glasgow rally, that was followed by a march to London as party of the Freedom at 70 campaign. Baird also hosted the launch of 'The End of a Regime? An Anthology of Scottish-South African writing Against Apartheid' in 1991.

Botha was a member of the ANC's 1994 Parliament. He had previously studied at the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow College of Technology. He introduced Brian Filling on stage at the Glasgow Green Rally in 1988, that was followed by a march down to London as part of the Freedom at 70 campaign.

Buchan was a cultural and political activist who became a Strathclyde Councillor (1974-79) and then Glasgow MEP (1979-94). Her involvement with the SC AAM and it's cause was manifold, with special contributions including: speaking at the press conference that announced Chris Hani's assassination and speaking at the NALA conference in Glasgow when Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow to receive the Freedom of the Nine Cities. She was famously embraced by Mandela while welcoming him on his visit to Strasbourg.

Christie was one of the leading trade unionist of his generation, he went on to be General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (1986-1998). He was a key campaigner in establishing a Scottish Parliament and was involved in the work of the SC AAM.

Key events in which he featured during the campaigning of the SC AAM included: speaking at the Glasgow Green Rally in 1988 which was followed by a march to London as part of the Freedom at 70 campaign, he was also on the Board of Directors for 1990's Sechaba Festivals Ltd, and was one of the speakers at the Sechaba Conference.

Crawford played an important role in Scottish and UK politics for more than 20 years. During this time he was leader of the building workes' union Ucatt, served on the National Executive of the Labour Party (1980-82), was a Councillor and the chair for the Scottish Committee for Local Authority Action Against Apartheid.

One of the key events that he chaired during the campaign of the SC AAM was the meeting following the renaming of St George's Place to Nelson Mandela Place on 16th June 1986.

Ekwueme was a graduate of the University of Washington (1955-57) who became the first elected Vice-President of Nigeria, serving in this role throughout the early 1980s. He is considered one of Nigeria's leading statesmen.

He accepted the Freedom of the City of Glasgow on behalf of Mandela on 4th August 1981.

Goldberg was an engineer and political activist born in Cape Town, South Africa. He became one of the Rivonia trialists and was detained in 1963 for over 22 years until his release in 1985.

Goldberg was an Executive member of the Congress of Democrats, an organisation allied to the ANC in the Congress Alliance from the mid-1950s. After the first non racial elections in 1994 Goldberg founded the development organisation Community H.E.A.R.T. in London to help to improve living standards of black South Africans.

His work against the apartheid regime was tireless and he traveled the world on speaking tours as a spokes person for the ANC and representing the Anti-Apartheid Committee of the United Nations, visiting Scotland alongside other places. He gained the Albert Luthuli Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts.