Desmond Tutu

History will remember Desmond Tutu, who has been called South Africa’s Martin Luther King, Jr., as a great leader in the struggle against apartheid. In this new biography, which includes original quotations from the author’s interviews with Tutu, readers will follow the steady progress of a boy and man who has held an irrepressible faith in humankind and his God. They will learn about his family, schooling, important mentors, and extraordinary career trajectory in South Africa and abroad. Now retired, Tutu’s accomplishments and contributions to the world can be fully appreciated.

The clear explanation of the policy of apartheid, how it affected Tutu and his family, and how he helped to bring it crashing down will affect and inform students as no history alone can. They will marvel over his sparkling wit and effervescent personality, his nonviolent stance in the face of intense racial hatred and harassment, and his persistence against enormous odds. This will be an effortless, enjoyable, enlightening and inspiring read.

Author Biography

STEVEN D. GISH is Associate Professor of History at Auburn University of Montgomery in Alabama and specializes in South African and African history.