W/an intro. by Lamont B. Steptoe ( Vietnam war veteran)

DENNIS VINCENT BRUTUS - (b 28-11-1924) was born in what is now Harare, Zimbabwe to South African parents. He was educated in South Africa and attended the university of Fort Hare where he obtained a B.A. with Distinction, and the university of Witwatersrand. He taught English and Afrikaans in schools for 14 years.

As an activist against apartheid he was outspoken, especially in the field of sport during the 1950's and 1960's when he was President of SANROC (South Africa Non-racial Olympic Committee) His outspokenness resulted in two things:

1. The exclusion of SA from international sports.
2. His being banned and later arrested.

After escaping while on bail he was re-arrested, but when he once again attempted to escape he was shot in the back. Dennis Brutus was then sentenced to 18 months hard labour on Robben Island, where he served his time in the same section with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, & GovanMbeki.

After his release he was categorised as a "non-person" meaning he was banned from teaching, writing, publishing, attending both social or political meetings, or from pursuing his then studies in law at the university of Witwatersrand.

He left South Africa in 1966 and for a while made his home in England before moving to America, where he taught at the university of Denver. In 1971 he became Professor of African Literature at the Northwestern university in Evanston Illinois. He is currently professor emeritus at the unversity of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.