Albert John Luthuli
| Famous as | African Politician and the President of African National Congress (ANC) |
| Born in | Rhodesia, Bulawayo |
| Died on | 21 July 1967 |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Works & Achievements | Nobel Peace Prize (1960), Led Non-Violent Struggle for Civil Rights in South Africa |
Childhood & Early Life
Luthuli was born in 1898 near Bulawayo in Rhodesia as the third son
of Seventh-day Adventist missionary John Bunyan Luthuli and Mtonya
Gumede. After his father’s death around 1906, Albert Jon Luthuli moved
to Grout Ville in South Africa, where his mother had spent her
childhood. With his mother's support, Luthuli went to a local
Congregationalist Institute for his primary education before he took
admission in a boarding school called Ohlange Institute.
On completing a teacher’s course from a Methodist Institution at
Eden dale around 1917, Luthuli took up a job as principal in an
intermediate school in Natal. In 1920, he attended a higher teacher’s
training course at Adams College with a scholarship provided by the
government and joined the training college staff afterward. Albert
Luthuli was elected as the secretary of the African Teacher’s
Association in 1928 and subsequently its president in 1933.
Initial Career and Personal Life
Luthuli was an active member and an adviser to the organized
church. During his early life, he served as the Chairman of the South
African Board of the Congregationalist Church of America, the President
of the Natal Mission Conference, and an executive member of the Christian
Council of South Africa. He married his colleague Nokukhanya Bhengu in
1927 and the couple settled in Grout Ville, where their first child was
born in 1929. Later the couple had six more children. Albert Luthuli was
heir to a small tribe of around 5,000 people in Gout Ville which was
led by his grandfather. Though Luthuli hesitated to take the
responsibility, as it demanded the sacrifice of his job and financial security;
he finally became the chief of his tribe in 1936. He remained on the
position until 1952, when he was removed from his office by the
government. While on position, he took major responsibilities acting as
the representative of the central government and his people.
Anti- Apartheid Activist
In 1936, the government imposed total restriction on non-white
community, circumscribing every aspect of their life. Luthuli’s concern
for all black people made him join ANC (American National Congress) in
1944. The Africans were denied the right to vote, and in 1948 the government adopted the policy of
racial segregation, known as ‘Apartheid’; the Pass Laws were tightened
in the 1950's. The objective of ANC was to secure human rights for the
black community, bringing them the rights to justice and equality.
He was elected to the committee of the Natal Provincial Division in
1945 and soon after, he became the president of the division in 1951.
The following year, he came in contact with other ANC leaders and
decided to join them in a struggle for justice and equality for all
South African people. He organized non-violent campaigns to raise voice
against discriminatory laws and racial segregation. He was charged with
treason and was asked to pull out with the ANC or leave his office as
tribal chief. Luthuli refused to do either and subsequently, he was
fired from his chieftainship. In the same year, he was elected
president-general of ANC.
Bans
Soon after his selection as President to ANC, the government
imposed a ban on him that restricted his movement and prevented him to
hold public meetings in South Africa. The ban expired after two years,
upon which he went to Johannesburg to attend a meeting and before he
could reach home, another banned was imposed on him, confining him to a
very short radius of his home. The ban remained for two years. These
bans came as an attempt to affect his popularity among the people,
weakening the civil rights movement.
After the second ban expired, Luthuli went to attend an ANC
conference in 1956, and was arrested again and charged with treason. He
was released in December, 1957, when charges against him were dropped
after initial hearings. Luthuli faced his third ban in 1958, when
government imposed a five-year ban, prohibiting him from publishing
anything and confining him to a radius of 15 mile of his house. The ban
was temporarily lifted in 1960 and he was arrested and set as an
exemplar for demonstrators against the pass law. One final time the ban
was lifted in December 1961, when Luthuli was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize.
Umkhonto we Sizwe
Luthuli as an active leader of the civil rights movement, worked
with Nelson Mandela. Though Luthuli played a key role in the planning
and conduct of the civil rights, in December 1961 Umkhonto we Sizwe was
launched without his sanction, making him feel dejected and isolated. In
1962, he became Rector of the University of Glasgow and served till
1965. The forth ban followed again in 1964, confining him to a very
short vicinity of his home. In 1966, Luthuli met Robert F. Kennedy
United States Senator, in South Africa and the meeting successfully drew
attention from across the world towards the hardship and injustice
South Africans were exposed to. In 2004, he was elected 41st in the SABC3’s Great South Africans.
Death
The hardship and stress had made Luthuli ill many years before his
death. He suffered from high blood pressure and minor strokes. Towards
the end of his life, his hearing and eye sight also became weak. Albert
John Lutuli died in an accident on 21 July 1967, when he was struck by a
train while walking near his home.
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Timeline: | ||||
1898 - Albert John Luthuli was born.
1917- Luthuli completed a teacher’s course from a Methodist Institution.
1928 - He was elected as the secretary of the African Teacher’s Association.
1933 - He became President of the African Teacher’s Association.
1927- Luthuli married his colleague Nokukhanya Bhengu.
1929 - Their first child was born in 1929.
1936 - Luthuli became the chief of his tribe.
1944 - Hejoined ANC (American National Congress).
1948 - The government adopted the policy of ‘Apartheid’.
1945 - He was elected to the committee of the Natal Provincial Division.
1951- Luthuli became the president of the division.
1956 - He went to attend ANC conference after the 2nd ban was lifted and was arrested.
1957- Luthuli was released in December.
1958 - Luthuli faced his third ban in 1958.
1961- Luthuli was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
1961 - Umkhonto we Sizwe was launched in December.
1962 - He became Rector of the University of Glasgow and served till 1965.
1964 - Luthuli faced his fourth ban.
1966 - He met with United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
1967- Luthuli died in an accident on 21 July.
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