Ruth First: A Legacy of Anti-Apartheid Activism

Ruth First was a significant figure in the anti-apartheid movement, born to activist parents, Julius First and Matilda Leveta. She attended the University of Witwatersrand and became an editor of a banned newspaper in South Africa.

First was imprisoned for five years for her activism and wrote the Freedom Charter, a crucial document in South Africa's liberation struggle. In 1968, she arrived in Nigeria during the civil war and later taught at the University of Ibadan.

First was married to Joe Slovo, a leader in the African National Congress's military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe. Throughout her life, she traveled across Africa, studying post-independence struggles and contributing to various publications.

Her work included editing Govan Mbeki's book on peasant revolts and teaching political economy in Tanzania. Ruth First's legacy is marked by her dedication to the liberation of Africa from colonial and apartheid oppression.