1969: The titular head of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, has been imprisoned by the South African government for five years.

Today: Nelson Mandela has been the President of South Africa since 1994, when Dutch president F. W. de Clerk abolished apartheid, stepped down from his office, and helped to organize the popular elections that resulted in Mandela's rise to power.

1969: Interracial marriage is banned in South Africa (the practice is not socially acceptable in many areas of the United States). Only .007% (310,000) of marriages in the United States are interracial.

Today: The ban on interracial marriage was lifted in South Africa in 1978. In 1995, the percentage of interracial marriages in the United States was .025% (1,392,000).

1969: The South African government segregates living areas, limiting people of color to certain areas. In the United States, President Nixon tries to delay efforts to desegregate schools.

Today: In South Africa, laws...