Percy Qoboza
Encyclopedia
Percy Peter Tshidiso Qoboza was an influential black
South Africa
n journalist, author, and outspoken critic of the apartheid government
in South Africa during the early periods of world recognition of the problems evident in the racially divided land. His eloquent editorial
s did much to challenge the white South Africans who were shielded from the savage horrors of apartheid as experienced by millions of black South Africans at the hands of the minority government.
of Sophiatown to a strong Xhosa family, he experienced the harsh realities of oppression and discrimiation in his homeland when the entire township
was destroyed in 1952 in an apartheid cleansing of the area. Many of the residents were packed up and carted off in open trucks like cattle.
He later used this and many other experiences to excel at Lesotho
University where he earned a degree in theology
, but later returned home to complete studies in journalism
.
of The World
newspaper in Soweto
from 1974 until the late 1970s, he gave the world a unique and powerful view of the Soweto riots
which broke on June 16, 1976. Under qoboza, The World became a much sought-after publication. As a source of news and information on the black political front, it was gospel; to the government, it was seen as the enemy.
His editorial column "Percy's Pitch" was highly anticipated. Under his direction, The Worlds circulation increased to become the most read newspaper by blacks in the country. This allowed views to be shaped during the period when many young black radicals where formed and saw the need for change immediately.
This powerful voice was seen as a threat to the minority government and many attacks and threats were made against Qoboza and his family. Finally on October 19, 1977, The World offices were closed and the paper was banned. Qoboza and scores of others were thrown into jail for 6 months without trial. His family had no way to communicate with him and had no way to know if he was alive. When he was released, he was eventually told to leave the country. He was invited to the United States
and he traveled to Washington, DC and worked with the Washington Star
in 1980.
He was returning to the United States after he was initially nominated as South Africa's Nieman Fellow at Harvard University
in September 1975. The time he spent in Cambridge
would continue to shape his voice and allow him to build strong bridges with journalists from all over the world.
He returned to South Africa and became the editor of City Press
in 1984. Again his sharp style gave a strong, passionate voice to the ongoing struggle to end oppression. He failed to see the end of his life work having died in 1988 on his 50th birthday after suffering a heart attack Christmas 1987 and slipping into a coma. His funeral was attended by over 5000 mourners including many of the leaders of the struggle in South Africa (including Winnie Mandela and Nthato Motlana
, the United States Ambassador
Edward Perkins, and press
from around the world.
in the United States awards an annual honor to the journalist who best exemplifies the spirit of Qoboza. From their website
, "Awarded to a foreign journalist who has done extraordinary work while overcoming tremendous obstacles that contributes to the enrichment, understanding or advancement of people or issues in the African diaspora
. The honor is not open to journalists working for American-based publications."
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n journalist, author, and outspoken critic of the apartheid government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
in South Africa during the early periods of world recognition of the problems evident in the racially divided land. His eloquent editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
s did much to challenge the white South Africans who were shielded from the savage horrors of apartheid as experienced by millions of black South Africans at the hands of the minority government.
Early life
Born in the black ghettoGhetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
of Sophiatown to a strong Xhosa family, he experienced the harsh realities of oppression and discrimiation in his homeland when the entire township
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
was destroyed in 1952 in an apartheid cleansing of the area. Many of the residents were packed up and carted off in open trucks like cattle.
He later used this and many other experiences to excel at Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
University where he earned a degree in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, but later returned home to complete studies in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
Career as an editor
As editorEditing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of The World
The World (South African newspaper)
The World, originally named The Bantu World, was the Johannesburg black daily newspaper which published photographer Sam Nzima's iconic image of Hector Pieterson, taken during the Soweto uprisings of June 16, 1976.- History:...
newspaper in Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
from 1974 until the late 1970s, he gave the world a unique and powerful view of the Soweto riots
Soweto riots
The Soweto Uprising, also known as June 16, was a series of high school student-led protests in South Africa that began on the morning of June 16, 1976. Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto, in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of...
which broke on June 16, 1976. Under qoboza, The World became a much sought-after publication. As a source of news and information on the black political front, it was gospel; to the government, it was seen as the enemy.
His editorial column "Percy's Pitch" was highly anticipated. Under his direction, The Worlds circulation increased to become the most read newspaper by blacks in the country. This allowed views to be shaped during the period when many young black radicals where formed and saw the need for change immediately.
This powerful voice was seen as a threat to the minority government and many attacks and threats were made against Qoboza and his family. Finally on October 19, 1977, The World offices were closed and the paper was banned. Qoboza and scores of others were thrown into jail for 6 months without trial. His family had no way to communicate with him and had no way to know if he was alive. When he was released, he was eventually told to leave the country. He was invited to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and he traveled to Washington, DC and worked with the Washington Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
in 1980.
He was returning to the United States after he was initially nominated as South Africa's Nieman Fellow at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in September 1975. The time he spent in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
would continue to shape his voice and allow him to build strong bridges with journalists from all over the world.
He returned to South Africa and became the editor of City Press
City Press
City Press may refer to:* City Press, a newspaper in South Africa.* The City Press, a newspaper in London publishing in the 19th and early 20th centuries....
in 1984. Again his sharp style gave a strong, passionate voice to the ongoing struggle to end oppression. He failed to see the end of his life work having died in 1988 on his 50th birthday after suffering a heart attack Christmas 1987 and slipping into a coma. His funeral was attended by over 5000 mourners including many of the leaders of the struggle in South Africa (including Winnie Mandela and Nthato Motlana
Nthato Motlana
Dr. Nthato Harrison Motlana was a prominent South African businessman, physician and anti-apartheid activist. He was tried alongside Nelson Mandela by the Apartheid regime during the Defiance Campaign of 1951-52, and played a prominent role during the Soweto uprising as one of the members of the...
, the United States Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Edward Perkins, and press
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
from around the world.
Percy Qoboza Award
The National Association of Black JournalistsNational Association of Black Journalists
The National Association of Black Journalists is an organization of African American journalists, students, and media professionals. Founded in 1975 in Washington, D.C...
in the United States awards an annual honor to the journalist who best exemplifies the spirit of Qoboza. From their website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, "Awarded to a foreign journalist who has done extraordinary work while overcoming tremendous obstacles that contributes to the enrichment, understanding or advancement of people or issues in the African diaspora
African diaspora
The African diaspora was the movement of Africans and their descendants to places throughout the world—predominantly to the Americas also to Europe, the Middle East and other places around the globe...
. The honor is not open to journalists working for American-based publications."