Jan 23 Watch 3:26 Remembering Hugh Masekela, master musician who fought for South African freedom By Jeffrey Brown Over the course of his six-decade career, Hugh Masekela’s jazz and anti-apartheid activism made him a beloved international figure. In exile, he used his music as a form of activism to call for Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and freedom… Continue watching
Dec 12 Watch 7:08 South Africa at a crossroads, new chronicle of Mandela’s presidency looks back for guidance By Jeffrey Brown While Nelson Mandela remains a larger-than-life symbol of historic change, there's a national debate going on in South Africa over the nation's progress since its turn to democracy. Mandla Langa, a writer and former activist, hopes that Mandela's words and… Continue watching
Nov 10 Watch 8:50 South Africa grapples with contentious reminders of apartheid Protests in South Africa over a statue of a 19th century diamond magnate and colonial conqueror set off a national debate two years ago about the remnants of apartheid. As part of his ongoing series, Culture at Risk, Jeffrey Brown… Continue watching
Nov 10 This South African poet is helping a Maryland church protect a historic black cemetery By Andrew Bossone Members of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Bethesda, Maryland, believe the remains of some of the first freed African Americans are buried under ground nearby. Continue reading
Apr 03 5 important stories that don’t have anything to do with politics By Erica R. Hendry, Iman Smith, Joshua Barajas, Laura Santhanam before the latest chapter in the Russian investigation threatens to wrestle control of the 24-hour news cycle, here are five important stories that may not have shown up in your Facebook feed. Continue reading
Nov 24 Watch 7:17 Cape Town’s urban vineyard could revitalize the city’s poor By PBS News Hour South Africa is known for its breathtaking vineyards -- but the poor urban settlements of Cape Town are not. Yet here, too, farmers are relying on growing grapes to support themselves, in a community where the average annual income is… Continue watching
Nov 17 Watch 7:24 ‘Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah turns an outside perspective into funny observation By PBS News Hour As “The Daily Show” host, South-African born comic Trevor Noah offers a different, outsider’s perspective from Jon Stewart, the man he succeeded. Noah speaks with Jeffrey Brown about how the show is handling the election of Donald Trump and how… Continue watching
Aug 21 Watch 1:38 Black-and-white portraits from apartheid-era South Africa By PBS News Hour South Africa’s apartheid era -- when segregation was legal and the white minority ruled -- is remembered as a time of rampant violence and divisiveness. But a photo exhibit this summer showcases the private lives that some South Africans carved… Continue watching
Aug 21 A photographer’s diverse, complex portrait of apartheid-era South Africa By Kamala Kelkar Photographs by S.J. “Kitty” Moodley showcase the private lives that people carved out in apartheid-era South Africa. Continue reading
Feb 17 Watch 8:50 A ruthless defender of apartheid now seeks forgiveness In South Africa, thousands were killed and tens of thousands were detained under the watch of former apartheid-era government official Adriaan Vlok. Once seen by some as the regime’s “face of evil,” Vlok is now seeking redemption by reaching out… Continue watching