HSRC Press is proud to launch the first two books in its new Voices of Liberation series. This series celebrates the lives and writings of South African and African liberation activists and heroes. The human, social and literary contexts presented in this series have a critical resonance and bearing on where we come from, who we are and how we can choose to shape our destiny.
The Voices of Liberation series ensures that the debates and values that shaped the liberation movement are not lost. The series offers a unique combination of biographical information with selections from original speeches and writings in each volume. By providing access to the thoughts and writings of some of the many men and women who fought for the dismantling of apartheid, colonialism and capitalist legacy, this series invites the contemporary reader to engage directly with the rich history of the struggle for democracy and the restoration of our own identity.
2012 is the thirtieth anniversary of Ruth First’s murder. This volume presents a brief biography of Ruth First, followed by a selection of her writings as a political activist, scholar and journalist. The new edition presents a timeline summary of significant events in Ruth’s life within the context of major socio-political events of the time. It concludes with a reflection on her legacy from a current perspective and offers a further reading list. This book is a testament to an individual as much as it is to a specific time in the South African struggle for liberation.
“She was something of a hero to us in her lifetime. She made us proud to belong to a movement that had personalities like hers in its ranks. She lived vividly …” – Judge Albie Sachs on Ruth First.
HSRC Press will launch the new Voices of Liberation series on 7 June in London, to coincide with the celebration of Ruth First’s life, and the launch of the new digital library of papers and books at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at London University. The series will also enjoy a local launch at the Cape Town International Book Fair between 15 and 17 June.
View details of the book on the HSRC Press website.
This volume presents a brief biography of South Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner, Albert Luthuli, followed by a selection from the many speeches he made, first as President of the Natal branch of the African National Congress and then as President-General. Born at the beginning of the 20th century, Luthuli was a man with a vision – a vision that encompassed people of all races and beliefs in southern Africa. As a teacher, as a national president of the ANC, and as an activist Luthuli survived house arrests, bannings, trials and detentions to emerge as not only a national but an international symbol of leadership. By the time of his tragic death – a train accident in 1967 – he had gained the respect of such individuals as Nelson Mandela, Dr Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy. The book concludes with a reflection on his legacy from a current perspective and a further reading list.
“I can tell you what history will say, that a noble voice was silenced when it would have been better for us all if it had been heard.” – Alan Paton at the funeral of Albert Luthuli.
HSRC Press will launch the new Voices of Liberation series on 7 June in London, to coincide with the celebration of Ruth First’s life, and the launch of the new digital library of papers and books at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at London University. The series will also enjoy a local launch at the Cape Town International Book Fair between 15 and 17 June.