He was born in 1917 in Margate, Natal, South Africa, and attended the Fascadale Mission School. Showing early promise as a writer, he submitted various samples of his work to publications and as a result was offered a job by the Post newspaper in Johannesburg, which had published some of his earlier contributions.
He became frustrated upon his return to South Africa. There were few opportunities for black journalists due to the restrictions of apartheid. Most black-focused publications were controlled by white business interests and none of them offered scope for the kind of investigative exposés that Nxumalo had in mind.
In 1951, the publisher Jim Bailey established the legendary Drum magazine with Anthony Sampson as editor, and asked Henry Nxumalo to become the assistant editor. Nxumalo by this time specialised in investigative journalism.
He obtained employment on the potato farms so as to expose the squalid conditions (almost slave-like) experienced by Black labourers. Worried about the lawlessness in Johannesburg "the square mile of sin", he agitated for clean-up and appealed for support from the police.
On another assignment he managed to get himself arrested and was sent to Johannesburg central prison. His resulting article, describing the ward conditions and the degrading naked search, was an international scoop. He later got work on a farm where an African labourer was beaten to death with a section of hose-pipe. His investigation into whether the church "supported" apartheid showed the difference between prejudice and the gospel of "brotherly love".[1]
In 1957, Nxumalo was investigating an abortion racket when he was murdered by unknown assailants.
Legacyedit
In 2004, Goch Street in Johannesburg's cultural hub, Newtown, was renamed Henry Nxumalo Street.[2]
Sylvester Stein's 2005 play Who Killed Mr Drum? (adapted from his 1999 book of the same title about his time as editor of Drum) begins with Nxumalo's murder.[3]
Awardsedit
Nxumalo was posthumously honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for excellence in South African journalism. The award was collected by his son, Henry Nxumalo Jr, on 27 September 2007.[4]
See alsoedit
Mike Nicol, Good-looking Corpse: World of Drum - Jazz and Gangsters, Hope and Defiance in the Townships of South Africa, Secker & Warburg, 1991, ISBN0-436-30986-6
"The Birth of a Tsotsi: Henry Nxumalo", in Anthony Adams & Ken Durham (eds), Writing from South Africa, Cambridge University Press, ISBN0-521-43572-2.
Referencesedit
^Struan Douglas. . Worldonline. Archived from the original on 20 March 2007. Retrieved 23 February 2007.
^Ndaba Dlamini (19 October 2004). . Johannesburg News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2007.
^Michael Billington, review of "Who Killed Mr Drum? | Riverside Studios, London" (review), The Guardian, 3 September 2005.
^. S A National Orders. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2007.
External linksedit
for National Orders
Mohamed Keita, "Remembering Henry Nxumalo, pioneer under apartheid", Committee to Protect Journalists, 3 January 2012.
April 15, 2024
henry, nxumalo, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Henry Nxumalo news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Henry Nxumalo 1917 31 December 1957 also known as Henry Mr Drum Nxumalo was a pioneering South African investigative journalist under apartheid Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Legacy 4 Awards 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life editHe was born in 1917 in Margate Natal South Africa and attended the Fascadale Mission School Showing early promise as a writer he submitted various samples of his work to publications and as a result was offered a job by the Post newspaper in Johannesburg which had published some of his earlier contributions He enlisted in the South African Army when World War II broke out and was sent to Egypt where the South African forces were involved in the Western Desert of North Africa Career editHe became frustrated upon his return to South Africa There were few opportunities for black journalists due to the restrictions of apartheid Most black focused publications were controlled by white business interests and none of them offered scope for the kind of investigative exposes that Nxumalo had in mind In 1951 the publisher Jim Bailey established the legendary Drum magazine with Anthony Sampson as editor and asked Henry Nxumalo to become the assistant editor Nxumalo by this time specialised in investigative journalism He obtained employment on the potato farms so as to expose the squalid conditions almost slave like experienced by Black labourers Worried about the lawlessness in Johannesburg the square mile of sin he agitated for clean up and appealed for support from the police On another assignment he managed to get himself arrested and was sent to Johannesburg central prison His resulting article describing the ward conditions and the degrading naked search was an international scoop He later got work on a farm where an African labourer was beaten to death with a section of hose pipe His investigation into whether the church supported apartheid showed the difference between prejudice and the gospel of brotherly love 1 In 1957 Nxumalo was investigating an abortion racket when he was murdered by unknown assailants Legacy editIn 2004 Goch Street in Johannesburg s cultural hub Newtown was renamed Henry Nxumalo Street 2 Sylvester Stein s 2005 play Who Killed Mr Drum adapted from his 1999 book of the same title about his time as editor of Drum begins with Nxumalo s murder 3 Awards editNxumalo was posthumously honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for excellence in South African journalism The award was collected by his son Henry Nxumalo Jr on 27 September 2007 4 See also editMike Nicol Good looking Corpse World of Drum Jazz and Gangsters Hope and Defiance in the Townships of South Africa Secker amp Warburg 1991 ISBN 0 436 30986 6 The Birth of a Tsotsi Henry Nxumalo in Anthony Adams amp Ken Durham eds Writing from South Africa Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 43572 2 References edit Struan Douglas Drum magazine Worldonline Archived from the original on 20 March 2007 Retrieved 23 February 2007 Ndaba Dlamini 19 October 2004 The word on the street is change Johannesburg News Agency Archived from the original on 23 September 2006 Retrieved 23 February 2007 Michael Billington review of Who Killed Mr Drum Riverside Studios London review The Guardian 3 September 2005 Profile of Henry Mr Drum Nxumalo S A National Orders Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Retrieved 26 April 2007 External links editProfile of Henry Mr Drum Nxumalo for National Orders Mohamed Keita Remembering Henry Nxumalo pioneer under apartheid Committee to Protect Journalists 3 January 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Nxumalo amp oldid 1218044973, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
