In 2022, Google doodle paid tribute to Charlotte Makgomo Maxeke on her 151st birthday. Maxeke was a South African religious leader, social and political activist.
Image: Google.
Today, we honour the life of Charlotte Makgomo Maxeke, born on April 7, 1871. Often called the “Mother of Black Freedom in South Africa,” Maxeke was a trailblazer for women’s rights and one of the founding figures of the Bantu Women’s League, which later became the ANC Women’s League.
While many sources claim that Charlotte was born in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape, others point to the Polokwane area. Her birth name, Charlotte Makgomo Mannya, suggests ties to the Sotho or Pedi cultures, possibly connecting her to the Ramokgopa district near Polokwane. Some confusion may arise from mixing her birthplace with that of her husband, Marshall Maxeke, or her sister Katie, who was born in Fort Beaufort in 1873. Nonetheless, it’s clear that Maxeke spent much of her early life in the Eastern Cape, particularly in Port Elizabeth.
In 1885, after the discovery of diamonds, Charlotte and her family moved to Kimberley, where she began her teaching career. Her passion for faith and activism grew stronger as she joined the African Jubilee Choir in 1891, and this led to an unforgettable experience of performing for Queen Victoria during a tour in England.
Maxeke's hunger for education took her across the globe. In 1894, she traveled with the choir to the US, where she stayed after the tour collapsed. She enrolled at Wilberforce University in Ohio, studying under Pan-Africanist W.E.B. Du Bois. It was here that she met Marshall Maxeke, and they returned to South Africa in 1901, with Charlotte becoming one of the first Black women to graduate in the country.
Maxeke’s activism was deeply intertwined with her faith. She was instrumental in the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) in South Africa and became a leader in the Women’s Mite Missionary Society. Her commitment to education remained strong as she tried to set up a school in Polokwane, though it couldn’t be completed due to lack of support.
Maxeke’s involvement in politics grew as she became a key figure in the formation of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) in 1912. She strongly advocated for the rights of Black women, especially against the pass laws that restricted their movement. In 1913, she helped organise protests against these laws and later founded the Bantu Women’s League in 1918, a pivotal organisation in the struggle for women’s rights.
Maxeke was also deeply involved in labour movements. She championed fair wages for Black workers and was a founding member of the Industrial and Commercial Worker’s Union (ICU) in 1920. Her dedication to improving the lives of working-class South Africans made her a respected leader across various movements.
Charlotte Maxeke's influence wasn’t confined to racial lines. She spoke at the Women's Reform Club in Pretoria, advocating for women's voting rights, and was part of multiracial movements aimed at improving the rights of all South Africans, regardless of their background.
Maxeke’s life work continues to resonate today. In 1928, she attended a conference in the United States, where she set up an employment agency for Africans in Johannesburg. She was also the first Black woman to serve as a parole officer for juvenile delinquents.
Known as the "Mother of Black Freedom in South Africa," Charlotte Maxeke’s lasting legacy is seen in the various initiatives and institutions named in her honor, including an ANC nursery school in Tanzania. She passed away in Johannesburg in 1939, but her contributions to South Africa’s political and social landscape remain a guiding light for generations to come.
Through small acts of courage and immense dedication, Charlotte Maxeke reshaped the landscape of South Africa’s struggle for freedom, particularly for women. Her life is a reminder that the fight for equality is never easy, but it is always worth it.
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