a member of the South African parliament and a leading anti-apartheid activist. 20th century
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A South African politician and anti-apartheid advocate. Born in Germiston, South Africa, she studied and taught economics and economic history at Witwatersrand University. She was elected to Parliament in 1953 and co-founded the Progressive Party in 1959. From 1961-1974, she was the only member of Parliament to oppose apartheid and was subjected to constant police harassment. During her 36 years in Parliament, she stood out as the sole Jewish, English-speaking woman among Christian, Afrikaans-speaking men. She advocated for equal rights and to improve the conditions of black prisoners. She was associated with Nelson Mandela throughout his jail time. She was a two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and knighted in 1989 by Queen Elizabeth II.
