Abdullah Abdurahman was a leading political leader of Cape Town, South Africa. He was the founder of several Colored political organizations and educational institutes including African Political Organization, Trafalgar High School, Teacher's League of South Africa, etc.
Abdullah Abdurahman: Childhood and Youth
Abdullah Abdurahman is one of the most famous personalities of Cape Town. He was born on 12th December 1872 in Wellington. He was a student of University of Glasgow and graduated from this university as a doctor of medicine in 1893. He was a doctor by profession but he is more popular as a political figure in Cape Town.
Abdullah Abdurahman started his political career in 1904. He played an active role in the human rights campaign in the city. He is the first elected Black member of the City Council of Cape Town. He remained a member of the council until his death. He founded the anti-apartheid movement. He also founded African People's Organization.
Political Career of Abdullah Abdurahman
Abdurahman was the president of APO (African Political Organization). He joined the organization in 1903 and became the president in 1905. He held this position for the next thirty-five years. It was his efficiency that made the organization function well. By 1910 nearly hundred branches of APO were opened across the country. The number of
members reached thousand by this time. APO became one of the largest political organizations of the Black in South Africa during this period.
|
Along with other political figures Abdullah Abdurahman took initiative to remove colored civil rights. He opposed the Civilized Labor Policy implemented by Pact Government. He attended the membership of the Wilcox commission. He also protested against policies, which were meant to downsize the political and economic status of the Black people.
Abdullah Abdurahman tried to safeguard the interest of the Black people throughout his life. He tried to provide the Colored people with better educational facilities. He took the initiative to establish the Trafalgar High School in 1911. It was the first school of the country where Colored students were provided with secondary education.
Abdullah Abdurahman: Founder of Teacher's League of South Africa
The foundation of the Teacher's League of South Africa (first teacher's association of the Colored people) in 1913 was a result of the sincere effort of Abdullah Abdurahman. It was Abdurahman who initiated the establishment of Livingstone High School in 1934. He initiated four Non-European Conferences between 1927 and 1934. He tried to unite Black people to put up a resistance against White supremacy.
Popularity of Abdullah Abdurahman
Abdullah Abdurahman was popular not only among the Colored people but also among the Indians living in South Africa. The South African Indian Congress asked him to head a group of members, which would ask the Indian government to give the suggestions about the anti-Asiatic policies, which were suggested, by the South African Union government.
Abdullah Abdurahman had devoted his whole life fighting racial discrimination in South Africa.
|
