Remembering Ruth First: A Life Dedicated to African Liberation

The legacy of Ruth First, a formidable anti-apartheid activist, is remembered as a life wholly dedicated to the liberation of the African continent. Born into a family deeply involved in the anti-apartheid movement, her parents were founders of the Anti-Apartheid Communist Party. This upbringing immersed her in the struggle from an early age.

First pursued her education at the University of Witwatersrand, where she connected with fellow activists who would become pivotal figures in African history, including Nelson Mandela and Eduardo Mondlane. Mondlane, who later became the founding president of Mozambique's FRELIMO liberation movement, also met a violent end, killed in a bomb attack. Ironically, First herself was assassinated years later in 1982 by a parcel bomb delivered to her office at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo.

Her life was a whirlwind of political and military planning against apartheid, periods of detention, and raising a family, all while seemingly racing against time. She was a veteran of apartheid prisons, and possessing a copy of her detention memoirs, "117 Days," led to a five-year prison sentence. First was also instrumental in shaping the democratic principles of the South African liberation struggle, co-authoring the historic Freedom Charter in 1955.

Beyond her activism, Ruth First was a respected editor and compiler of significant works. She edited collections of speeches and trial addresses by Nelson Mandela, titled 'No Easy Walk to Freedom,' as well as books by Govan Mbeki and Oginga Odinga. Her intellectual contributions complemented her direct action, solidifying her role as a key figure in the fight for a free and just Africa.