About the Book
This collection of poems by Keorapetse Kgositsile launched the ‘Pass on the Word’ series, for youth, to provide a link and continuity between the youth that was involved in struggle against apartheid and their dreams of social justice, and the youth of today that is facing its own struggles for social justice. This collection of Kgositsile’s poems was re-published to assist the youth, but more broadly, working class people to know their history, themselves, develop solidarity, and to know that ‘… to have a home is not a favour.’
About the Author
Keorapetse William Kgositsile, also known as ?Bra Willie?, was born on 19 September 1938. Bra Willie was the South African poet laureate and a political activist. He was an influential member of the African National Congress in the 1960s and 1970s. Bra Willie lived in exile in the United States from 1962 until 1975, the peak of his literary career. He made an extensive study of African-American literature and culture, becoming particularly interested in jazz. During the 1970s he was a central figure among African-American poets, encouraging interest in Africa as well as the practice of poetry as a performance art; he was well known for his readings in New York City jazz clubs. He was one of the first to bridge the gap between African poetry and Black poetry in the United States.
He was inaugurated as South Africa?s National Poet Laureate in 2006. In the last years of his life, Bra Willie dedicated his time for the youth, curating the ?Pass on the Word, Pass on the Baton? series with Khanya College in 2016 and participating in the JBF schools programme for the past 4 years. Bra Willie passed away in 2018.
