Biography of Mark Mathabane
By: Shalaka Damle
Connection to Novel
- Obvious connection with autobiographical account
- Kaffir Boy illustrated his growing up in Alexandra, basically entire childhood and teenage years
Overview
- Born Johannes Mathabane (pronounced "Mot-ta-bon-ee") on October 18, 1960 in Alexandra, South Africa
- Changed name to Mark during Soweto riots to disguise himself from the white South African government
- Eldest of 7 children
- Son of Jackson (laborer), Magdelene (washerwoman)
- Married Gail Ernsberger in 1987 and have 3 children: Bianca, Nathan, and Stanley
Childhood
- Grew up in South Africa under harsh system of Apartheid
- Witnessed violence, suffered malnutrition and harassment
- "There was a time when I thought that if life meant unending suffering and pain, there was no use living." (start at 3:50)
Mark Mathabane, Kaffir Boy author, on suicide attempt at 10
- Received an education, although different from both his parents
- Started to play tennis and under the guidance of Stan Smith, was able to come to America
Education
- Mathabane left South Africa in 1978 and boarded plane to Limestone College
- "Tennis became my passport to freedom in America, I continued to encounter white racists, but their bigotry failed to eradicate in me the reality that there were other whites who were different."
- Later transferred to St. Louis College (1979), then to Quincy College (1981), then finally to Dowling College (1981)
- Pursued graduate studies at Columbia University (1984)
- Later on received honorary doctorate from Wittenburg University
- Upon graduation at Dowling College, started to write Kaffir Boy
Other Works and Achievements
Other literary works include:
- Kaffir Boy in America: An Encounter with Apartheid
- Love in Black and White: The Triumph of Love over Prejudice and Taboo
- African Women: Three Generations
- Ubuntu*
- Miriam's Song
- The Proud Liberal*
- From 1992-1993, served as a White House Fellow under President Bill Clinton and assisted with education policies
- Well known speaker and has been a guest on numerous radio and TV talk shows
- In 2000, established the Magdalene Scholarship Fund, a non profit organization which aids a primary school in Alexandra