Pixley ka Isaka Seme
Encyclopedia
Pixley ka Isaka Seme was a founder and President
of the African National Congress
.
He was born in the Colony of Natal
at the Inanda mission station of the American Zulu Mission of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
. Although he once advertised for summer employment as a manservant in the United States by claiming to be of "Royal Zulu blood," his patrilineal clan name (""isibongo""), Seme, is unrelated to the Zulu royal family (Bryant, [1929] 1965). His mother was a sister of John Langalibalele Dube
, and descended from a local chief (Smith 1952). At 17 years of age Seme left to study in the U.S., first at the Mount Hermon School and then Columbia University
. In 1906, his senior year at University, he was awarded the Curtis Medal, Columbia's highest oratorical
honor. He subsequently decided to become an attorney
. In October 1906 he was admitted to Oxford University to read for the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law
; while at Oxford he was a member of Jesus College
.
Seme returned to South Africa in 1911. In response to the formation of the Union of South Africa, he worked with several other young African leaders recently returned from university studies in England, Richard Msimang, George Montsioa and Alfred Mangena, and with established leaders of the South African Native Convention in Johannesburg to promote the formation of a national organization that would unify various African groups from the former separate colonies, now provinces. In January 1912 these efforts bore fruit with the founding meeting of the South African Native National Congress, later renamed the African National Congress (Walshe 1970, Odendaal 1984).
Seme's nationalist organizing among Africans paralleled the contemporaneous efforts of Mohandas Gandhi with South African Indians.
The birthdate listed is not certain—it was Seme's personal estimate at the time of his application to Mount Hermon.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
.
He was born in the Colony of Natal
Colony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
at the Inanda mission station of the American Zulu Mission of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
. Although he once advertised for summer employment as a manservant in the United States by claiming to be of "Royal Zulu blood," his patrilineal clan name (""isibongo""), Seme, is unrelated to the Zulu royal family (Bryant, [1929] 1965). His mother was a sister of John Langalibalele Dube
John Langalibalele Dube
John Langalibalele Dube was a South African essayist, philosopher, educator, politician, publisher, editor, novelist and poet. He was the founding president of the South African Native National Congress which became the African National Congress in 1923...
, and descended from a local chief (Smith 1952). At 17 years of age Seme left to study in the U.S., first at the Mount Hermon School and then Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In 1906, his senior year at University, he was awarded the Curtis Medal, Columbia's highest oratorical
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
honor. He subsequently decided to become an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. In October 1906 he was admitted to Oxford University to read for the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
; while at Oxford he was a member of Jesus College
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
.
Seme returned to South Africa in 1911. In response to the formation of the Union of South Africa, he worked with several other young African leaders recently returned from university studies in England, Richard Msimang, George Montsioa and Alfred Mangena, and with established leaders of the South African Native Convention in Johannesburg to promote the formation of a national organization that would unify various African groups from the former separate colonies, now provinces. In January 1912 these efforts bore fruit with the founding meeting of the South African Native National Congress, later renamed the African National Congress (Walshe 1970, Odendaal 1984).
Seme's nationalist organizing among Africans paralleled the contemporaneous efforts of Mohandas Gandhi with South African Indians.
The birthdate listed is not certain—it was Seme's personal estimate at the time of his application to Mount Hermon.
External links
- Seme. ANC Biography.
- "Native Union". Article by Seme, in Imvo Zabantsundu, October 24, 1911.
- "Formation of the African National Congress, 1912". Compiled by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress.