WRITER

Es'kia Mphahlele

1919 - 2008

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Es'kia Mphahlele (17 December 1919 – 27 October 2008) was a South African writer, educationist, artist and activist celebrated as the Father of African Humanism and one of the founding figures of modern African literature. He was given the name Ezekiel Mphahlele at birth but changed his name to Es'kia in 1977. His journey from a childhood in the slums of Pretoria to a literary icon was an odyssey both intellectually and politically. As a writer, he brought his own experiences in and outside South Africa to bear on his short stories, fiction, autobiography and history, developing the concept of African humanism. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 15 different languages on Wikipedia. Es'kia Mphahlele is the 6,930th most popular writer (up from 7,058th in 2024), the 280th most popular biography from South Africa (up from 309th in 2019) and the 24th most popular South African Writer.

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Among WRITERS

Among writers, Es'kia Mphahlele ranks 6,930 out of 7,302. Before him are Josephine Johnson, Amor Towles, Hamid Mir, Ransom Riggs, Brigitte Vasallo, and Esteban Navarro. After him are Ed Greenwood, Charles Krauthammer, Roya Hakakian, Laurie Lee, Koenraad Elst, and Valerie Plame.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1919, Es'kia Mphahlele ranks 354. Before him are Mason Adams, Wally Hickel, Shamshad Begum, Steve Brodie, Janet Waldo, and Beryl Reid. After him are Mary Beth Hughes, Wilfred Jacobs, Howard Morris, Chuck Stevenson, Andy Rooney, and Doris Singleton. Among people deceased in 2008, Es'kia Mphahlele ranks 396. Before him are Julie Ege, Suzanne Tamim, Tim Russert, Levi Stubbs, Alexey Prokurorov, and Rob Knox. After him are Larry Norman, Thomas Dörflein, François Sterchele, György Kolonics, Karen Asrian, and G. David Low.

Others Born in 1919

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Others Deceased in 2008

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In South Africa

Among people born in South Africa, Es'kia Mphahlele ranks 280 out of 454. Before him are Aaron Mokoena (1980), Quinton Fortune (1977), Robbie Hunter (1977), Naledi Pandor (1953), John Moshoeu (1965), and Wayde van Niekerk (1992). After him are AB de Villiers (1984), Sasha Pieterse (1996), Olaf Kölzig (1970), Watkin Tudor Jones (1974), David Bateson (1960), and ZP Theart (1975).

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Among WRITERS In South Africa

Among writers born in South Africa, Es'kia Mphahlele ranks 24. Before him are Fatima Meer (1928), Bessie Head (1937), John Langalibalele Dube (1871), Damon Galgut (1963), Antjie Krog (1952), and Muhsin Hendricks (null). After him are Lauren Beukes (1976), and Zoleka Mandela (1980).

South African born Writers

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