Brian Tamuka Kagoro

Didn't like the Prof's Shakespeare comparison though. While I get the point as a call to celebrate our local creatives as much as we do international ones, I think an opportunity to (more accurately) compare against Wordsworth or Tennyson or Yeats was missed.

Look up Prof Nompumelelo Zondi's work on the man's writing. It's open access. I can't seem to link it on here. Search Dr Vilakazi's name and it should appear among the search results.

Translation: "Today I can never be silent Because in the depths of the night Mnkabayi awakens with the words “Arise, O you son of Mancinza! Your destiny bids you awaken And sing to us legends of battle! This charge, I command you, fulfil!"

Though he never went by his birth name (publically, that is) the above poem celebrates the name his parents gave him and the weight of history it carries.

Another poem: Namhla kangikwaz’ ukuthula noma Lapho ngilele ngikwesikaBhadakazi, Ngivuswa nguMnkabayi ethi kimi: “Vuka wena kaMancinza! Kawuzalelwanga ukulal’ubuthongo. Vuk’ubong’indaba yemikhonto! Nank’umthwal’engakwethwesa wona”

Translation: O set, you daily sun You who refused to bring light To us, the black nation. The hidden mysteries of the caves of gold Which I see bestowing wealth On nations everywhere on earth, While we black people watch, Our thick lips gaping

One of his poems read: Shona langa lemihla yonke. Wen’owanqab’ukukhanyisa Kithina sizwe sikaMnyama Imfihlo yomtapo weGoli Engilibone licebisa Izizwe nezinhla zomhlaba Thina bakaMyama sibuka Sikhex’izindebe ezinkulu

Coincidentally Dr Vilakazi was born the year of the Bambatha rebellion of 1906.

Utata was appointed teaching assistant in 1934 at Wits making history as the first Black person to teach there. He also made history as the first to publish an anthology of poems in isiZulu. He passed away a year after obtaining his PhD.

His birth name is Bambatha. He would be baptized Benedict Wallet during his years at a Catholic school in Groutville.

Ever the cheerleader G, the movement salutes ya! Should I be thanking you for putting me on blast like this?

I'm humbled, truly BK. Thank you - for being who you are. A rock. So grateful to have you in my corner.

I believe that. I wasn’t aware of their relationships to the late Congressman John Lewis. I’m not surprised in the least that it was so. On election night,I thought of him and pictured him smiling and dancing with RBG. Tonight,I’d like to think he can happily take off his shoes.

John Lewis never sat down when he was tired. We can honor him by not slowing down. We could only have 2 years to get a lot done, including his voting rights act and the ERA. The decades of Republicans oppressing blacks and women can come to an end.

“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America.” John Lewis 2020 We’re tired. We’re not done. We’ve got some good trouble ahead. We’re up to it.

Rev. Warnock was Congressman John Lewis's pastor. Ossoff was Lewis's intern. And somewhere, somehow both near and far, I have to think that Rep. Lewis is saying, "Well done."