John Tengo Jabavu
John Tengo Jabavu (born January 11, 1859 in the Healdtown district, Eastern Cape , † September 10, 1921 in Fort Hare ) was a South African politician and publicist .
Life
Jabavu was born to poor parents near a Methodist mission school he later attended. He quickly finished school and became a teacher in Somerset West , where he also assisted the local pastor . In addition to his education, he worked as a journalist and in 1881 published the Isigidimi Sama Xhosa , a college newspaper. In 1883 he passed the University of South Africa entrance exam . From 1884 he published another newspaper, Imvo Zabantsundu , and soon opened his own office.
Javabu was elected a member of the Methodist Church Conference. He advocated equality for women in education and played an important role in founding the South African Native College , later Fort Hare University . In 1909 he ran for chairmanship of the South African Native Convention , but was not elected and lost to Walter Benson Rubusana ; In 1914 he won the election for the Provincial Council of the Cape Province against Rubusana. In 1910 he traveled to London to protest the constitution of the South African Union and was invited to the Universal Races Congress in 1911.
Jabavu's political views differed from those of the founders of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) and were not undisputed. So he was a supporter of the Natives Land Act . Members of the SANNC accused him of being a secessionist and damaging the cause of blacks. Sol Plaatje called him a "puppet trying to serve her master".
Javabu was married to Elda Sakuba, who died in 1900. They had four sons, his son Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu was one of the first professors at Fort Hare University.
Awards
- In 2006 he was posthumously awarded the Order of Luthuli in gold.
Web links
- Biography of Jabavu on South African History Online (English)
- Jabavu honored on the website of the South African President
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Jabavu, John Tengo |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | South African politician and publicist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 11, 1859 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Healdtown District, Eastern Cape |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 10, 1921 |
| Place of death | Fort Hare |