Many Mourn the Loss of Artist & Activist Dennis Brutus

"World-renowned political organizer and one of Africa's most celebrated poets, Dennis Brutus, died early on December 26 in Cape Town, in his sleep, aged 85..."

Jubilee USA Network and friends mourn the loss of a great friend, artist, and activist.

We had the honor of working with Dennis for many years. In 2008, Dennis discussed his perspective for Jubilee on the role of the U.S. Treasury Secretary and what should top the agenda of the new Treasury Secretary.

Below are highlights from Jubilee Network Council member Africa Action’s meaningful statement:

Sunday, December 27, 2009 (Washington, DC) – Dennis Brutus, renowned South African poet, educator, and activist, died at age 85 early Saturday morning, December 26th. He is survived by his wife May, his sisters Helen and Dolly, eight children, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren in Hong Kong, England, the USA and Cape Town.

Dennis Brutus was born to South African parents in what is now Zimbabwe and was educated in South Africa. His outspoken activism against racism and apartheid during the 1950s and 1960s resulted in the banning of South Africa from the Olympics and his subsequent arrest in 1963. He was imprisoned for 18 months on Robben Island, serving time with Nelson Mandela, and then banned from his studies, his politics, and his teachings. Dennis left South Africa in 1966 for England, and subsequently taught at various institutions throughout the United States.

In 1966 Dennis had just been released from the Robben Island prison in South Africa and went on tour in the U.S. for Africa Action's predecessor organization, the American Committee on Africa. The organization's executive director, Jennifer Davis, recalls that he used to wander around her apartment in the middle of the night, muttering poetry; her kids were fascinated by him. He later settled in the United States and spearheaded work on the international sports boycott.

His poetry was banned in South Africa for years, though he himself was allowed to revisit the country beginning in 1990.

Adding to his six other honorary doctorates, this year Denis was presented with the U.S. War Resisters League peace award in September, and two Doctor of Literature degrees bestowed at Rhodes and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in April. He was also the first non-African American to receive the Langston Hughes Award and the first Paul Robeson Award in 1989 for "artistic excellence, political consciousness and integrity." In 2008, Denis was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of the South African government Department of Arts and Culture.

Denis spoke around the world on the current injustices of the international financial institutions and their policies in the Global South.

Comments

[Michelle Wong]

thought you & your readers might be interested in a new documentary, Fair Play, which tells the story of the anti-apartheid movement sports boycotts Brutus played such a key role in. Here’s a trailer:http://activevoice.net/haveyouheard_fairplay.html.