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Dr Dennis Vincent Brutus was a Zimbabwean-born South African activist, educator, journalist and poet best known for his campaign to have apartheid South Africa banned from the Olympic Games. His efforts eventually led to the country’s expulsion from the Games in 1970. Following 18 months on Robben Island and another year of house arrest, Brutus and his family were allowed to leave South Africa, settling in London in 1966. In 1970 he moved to the USA, and was granted political asylum in 1983. He was president of the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SAN-ROC).

AAM London was the umbrella organisation for the 32 anti-apartheid groups in the Greater London area, and a regional committee of the national anti-apartheid movement. It took an active role in promoting the boycott movement, encouraging local groups to picket supermarkets, branches of Barclays Bank, Shell garages and other organisations supporting apartheid. It also encouraged involvement by the trade unions and churches, among many other organisations, in the anti-apartheid struggle.

The AAM started in 1959 under the name The Boycott Movement Committee. It changed its name to AAM in 1960 after the Sharpeville massacre to become a permanent organisation. It grew into one of the biggest anti-apartheid organisations in the world with committees covering specific subjects and branches all over the UK. It was a member of the European Liaison Group. It was often the fore-runner and initiator of international campaigns and worked closely with the ANC and UN agencies. It dissolved itself in 1995 to continue as Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA).