International Book Discussion: Sol. T. Plaatje, Native Life in South Africa, hosted by Movement in Omaha for Race Equity-Moreomaha.org and the Tswana History Matters on November 7th at 12 noon CST and 8 p.m. Botswana/South African time.

A few months ago, we watched a presentation about a south African female writer as part of an African literature book discussion. Dr. Victoria “Ntozi” Mahlangeni said we could use a similar format to discuss other African writers who don’t get much attention in the media. We decided to focus on Sol Plaatje. Mr. Plaatje is a Motswana man who grew up and lived in Apartheid South Africa. The book Native Life in South Africa was written in the early 1900s and is out of print. Plaatje, a political journalist, was one of the founders of the South African Native National Congress and (later became the African National Congress- ANC) the first advocate and writer for fair land redistribution in southern Africa. His book Mhudi 1930 was the first English novel printed by a Black South African.

Dr. Mahlangeni passed away in September to the spirit world or the world of our ancestors and A’Jamal Byndon, her husband of 43 years, decided to move forward with this event. A’Jamal met Victoria when he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1977. They got married in Lobatse, Botswana, in 1977, and A’Jamal was one of the founding members of Omaha Table Talk, a program to bring community members of various ethnic and racial groups to talk about race issues. One of A’Jamal and Victoria’s friends who grew up in South Africa shared that in her elementary and secondary apartheid education, they did not learn about some great heroes of the struggle in their formal education. Fast forward to many contemporary issues, adherents of African culture and literature are unaware of Bessie Head, a South African refugee novelist who lived in Botswana, and others who are the shoulders on whom we stand for continued progress. Bessie also wrote the introduction for a subsequent edition of the Native Life in South Africa book. Purchase the book here!

The event will be via Zoom and Facebook Live. It will air on Monday, November 7th, at noon CST in Omaha and at 8 p.m. Botswana/ South African time. A’Jamal will provide an overview of the importance of Plaatje’s efforts during the first half and then open it up for participants to make comments and raise brief questions or concerns.

This event is co-sponsored by several Omaha, NE nonprofits and the Tswana History Matters.

The listings of nonprofits are on the Moreomaha.org web page. For more information and

registration, contact A’Jamal via Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, or phone at 402-957-2651

(USA).

This event is co-sponsored by Tswana History Matters
Inclusive Communities, and Afromaha.

Native Life in South Africa

By MORE: Movement in Omaha for Racial Equity

Native Life in South Africa

Team Members