Author Bio: Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in South Africa. He was elected the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa in 1886. He was also awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for fighting racial injustice in South Africa. Desmond Tutu speaks to all South Africans in his speech, but specifically this speech was given to the United Nations Security Council to show the difficulties many blacks have to go through in South Africa.
Date/Context: At the time of this speech (around 1884), South Africa was divided by racial prejudice. Apartheid, meaning separation, was going on as well. Despite the efforts of many, laws against segregation were being shot down and Tutu speaks of the future of South Africa. He does also note the positives, in that the President of South Africa, P.W. Botha, signed a nonaggression pact between South Africa and Mozambique.
Summary: Throughout the speech Tutu speaks about injustices all over South Africa. Tutu continues to put emphasis on the fact that the minority, whites, in South Africa have most of the rule and say. He continues to point out discrimination and unfair school systems, workplaces, and representation in politics for blacks in South Africa. Tutu pleads to the Security Council for their help to bring a peaceful end to apartheid in South Africa.
Key Quotation: "We dream of a new society that will be truly non-racial, truly democratic, in which people count because they are all created in the image of God" (Desmond Tutu).
This speech was written in 1984 at the height of global awareness of the injustice of South African apartheid. Also, I wouldn't necessary classify the nonagression pact as a positive of apartheid but a positive move by the government. Also, it would be helpful to point out the Tutu was committed to non-violence.
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