Donald Woods

Donald Woods, CBE ( December 15, 1933 * in Hobeni, Transkei, South Africa, † August 19 2001 in London) was a South African journalist and activist.

Life and work

Donald Woods was like most whites in South Africa house from a supporter of the apartheid system, but as a young student his attitude changed. Originally a law student, he switched to journalism. In the early 1970s, he met Steve Biko know and was the intense friendship with an advocate and activist of the South African anti-apartheid movement. He sat down as editor of the Daily Dispatch in East London (1965-1977) unsuccessfully committed to initiate a dialogue between the government and the Black movement to Steve Biko. After the death of Steve Biko ( September 1977) Woods was like before Biko banned for five years ( under house arrest, banned from publication ). When prepared with acid T -shirts were sent to him, he feared for the health of his family and fled to England about Lesotho. In the aftermath, he published books on Biko and engaged on the lecture on for the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.

Woods' time with Biko and his escape from South Africa were by Richard Attenborough in the film Cry Freedom, published in 1987 ( original English title: Cry Freedom ) represented, with Kevin Kline as Woods and Denzel Washington as Biko. Woods died on August 19, 2001 in London from cancer.

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