SOCIAL ACTIVIST
Hector Pieterson
1963 - 1976

Hector Pieterson
Zolile Hector Pieterson (19 August 1963 – 16 June 1976) was a South African schoolboy who was shot and killed at the age of 12 during the Soweto uprising and massacre in 1976, when the police opened fire on black students protesting the enforcement of teaching in Afrikaans, mostly spoken by the white and coloured population in South Africa, as the medium of instruction for all school subjects. The students wanted to learn in their native languages, Xhosa and Zulu. A news photograph by Sam Nzima of the mortally wounded Pieterson being carried by another Soweto resident while his sister ran next to them was published around the world. The anniversary of his death is the designated Youth Day in South Africa. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Hector Pieterson is the 752nd most popular social activist (down from 738th in 2019), the 302nd most popular biography from South Africa and the 13th most popular South African Social Activist.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Hector Pieterson by language
Among SOCIAL ACTIVISTS
Among social activists, Hector Pieterson ranks 752 out of 840. Before him are Medea Benjamin, Samar Badawi, Lillian Ngoyi, Máxima Acuña, Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, and Inez Milholland. After him are Lina Ben Mhenni, Rouzan al-Najjar, Kumi Naidoo, Sarah Hegazi, Ayanda Denge, and Aqeela Asifi.
Most Popular Social Activists in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsMedea Benjamin
1952 - Present
HPI: 44.64
Rank: 746
Samar Badawi
1981 - Present
HPI: 44.59
Rank: 747
Lillian Ngoyi
1911 - 1980
HPI: 44.55
Rank: 748
Máxima Acuña
1970 - Present
HPI: 44.52
Rank: 749
Aliaa Magda Elmahdy
1991 - Present
HPI: 44.52
Rank: 750
Inez Milholland
1886 - 1916
HPI: 44.48
Rank: 751
Hector Pieterson
1963 - 1976
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 752
Lina Ben Mhenni
1983 - 2020
HPI: 44.37
Rank: 753
Rouzan al-Najjar
1997 - 2018
HPI: 44.36
Rank: 754
Kumi Naidoo
1965 - Present
HPI: 44.35
Rank: 755
Sarah Hegazi
1989 - 2020
HPI: 44.29
Rank: 756
Ayanda Denge
1982 - 2019
HPI: 44.27
Rank: 757
Aqeela Asifi
1966 - Present
HPI: 43.95
Rank: 758
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1963, Hector Pieterson ranks 869. Before him are Jaime Ordiales, Adil Hussain, Catarina Lindqvist, Shin Joon-sup, Sanjay Mishra, and Christine Cavanaugh. After him are Torsten Albig, Philip Glenister, Melinda McGraw, Mary Scheer, Navjot Singh Sidhu, and Jay Karnes. Among people deceased in 1976, Hector Pieterson ranks 279. Before him are Barbara Nichols, Anissa Jones, Victoria Spivey, Alastair Sim, Isidoro Sota, and Vera C. Bushfield. After him is Roger Livesey.
Others Born in 1963
Go to all RankingsJaime Ordiales
ATHLETE
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.51
Rank: 863
Adil Hussain
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.51
Rank: 864
Catarina Lindqvist
TENNIS PLAYER
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.50
Rank: 865
Shin Joon-sup
ATHLETE
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.49
Rank: 866
Sanjay Mishra
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.46
Rank: 867
Christine Cavanaugh
ACTOR
1963 - 2014
HPI: 44.45
Rank: 868
Hector Pieterson
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1963 - 1976
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 869
Torsten Albig
POLITICIAN
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 870
Philip Glenister
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.42
Rank: 871
Melinda McGraw
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.39
Rank: 872
Mary Scheer
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.35
Rank: 873
Navjot Singh Sidhu
POLITICIAN
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.33
Rank: 874
Jay Karnes
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 44.32
Rank: 875
Others Deceased in 1976
Go to all RankingsBarbara Nichols
ACTOR
1928 - 1976
HPI: 48.43
Rank: 273
Anissa Jones
ACTOR
1958 - 1976
HPI: 48.42
Rank: 274
Victoria Spivey
SINGER
1906 - 1976
HPI: 48.28
Rank: 275
Alastair Sim
ACTOR
1900 - 1976
HPI: 47.44
Rank: 276
Isidoro Sota
SOCCER PLAYER
1902 - 1976
HPI: 47.42
Rank: 277
Vera C. Bushfield
POLITICIAN
1889 - 1976
HPI: 45.82
Rank: 278
Hector Pieterson
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1963 - 1976
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 279
Roger Livesey
ACTOR
1906 - 1976
HPI: 44.32
Rank: 280
In South Africa
Among people born in South Africa, Hector Pieterson ranks 302 out of 454. Before him are Chanelle Scheepers (1984), Eudy Simelane (1977), Nick Price (1957), Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (1980), Jonathan Liebesman (1976), and Lillian Ngoyi (1911). After him are Kumi Naidoo (1965), Ayanda Denge (1982), Sibusiso Zuma (1975), Rosalyn Fairbank (1960), Joost van der Westhuizen (1971), and Zhang Jian (null).
Others born in South Africa
Go to all RankingsChanelle Scheepers
TENNIS PLAYER
1984 - Present
HPI: 44.63
Rank: 296
Eudy Simelane
SOCCER PLAYER
1977 - 2008
HPI: 44.62
Rank: 297
Nick Price
GOLFER
1957 - Present
HPI: 44.59
Rank: 298
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
ATHLETE
1980 - 2014
HPI: 44.57
Rank: 299
Jonathan Liebesman
FILM DIRECTOR
1976 - Present
HPI: 44.55
Rank: 300
Lillian Ngoyi
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1911 - 1980
HPI: 44.55
Rank: 301
Hector Pieterson
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1963 - 1976
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 302
Kumi Naidoo
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1965 - Present
HPI: 44.35
Rank: 303
Ayanda Denge
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1982 - 2019
HPI: 44.27
Rank: 304
Sibusiso Zuma
SOCCER PLAYER
1975 - Present
HPI: 44.24
Rank: 305
Rosalyn Fairbank
TENNIS PLAYER
1960 - Present
HPI: 44.20
Rank: 306
Joost van der Westhuizen
RUGBY PLAYER
1971 - 2017
HPI: 44.10
Rank: 307
Zhang Jian
ATHLETE
HPI: 44.04
Rank: 308
Among SOCIAL ACTIVISTS In South Africa
Among social activists born in South Africa, Hector Pieterson ranks 13. Before him are Devdas Gandhi (1900), Ramdas Gandhi (1897), Denis Goldberg (1933), Albertina Sisulu (1918), Beyers Naudé (1915), and Lillian Ngoyi (1911). After him are Kumi Naidoo (1965), Ayanda Denge (1982), Ayakha Melithafa (2002), and Nkosi Johnson (1989).
Devdas Gandhi
1900 - 1957
HPI: 54.07
Rank: 7
Ramdas Gandhi
1897 - 1969
HPI: 54.07
Rank: 8
Denis Goldberg
1933 - 2020
HPI: 52.68
Rank: 9
Albertina Sisulu
1918 - 2011
HPI: 51.77
Rank: 10
Beyers Naudé
1915 - 2004
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 11
Lillian Ngoyi
1911 - 1980
HPI: 44.55
Rank: 12
Hector Pieterson
1963 - 1976
HPI: 44.43
Rank: 13
Kumi Naidoo
1965 - Present
HPI: 44.35
Rank: 14
Ayanda Denge
1982 - 2019
HPI: 44.27
Rank: 15
Ayakha Melithafa
2002 - Present
HPI: 37.84
Rank: 16
Nkosi Johnson
1989 - 2001
HPI: 32.30
Rank: 17