Abdullah Abdurahman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdullah Abdurahman
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Abdullah Abdurahman
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| Born | 18 December 1872 |
| Died | 2 February 1940 (aged 67) |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Occupation | |
| Awards | Order for Meritorious Service: Class 1 (Gold) |
Abdullah Abdurahman (born December 18, 1872 – died February 2, 1940) was an important South African politician and doctor. He was born in Wellington, South Africa. He became the first person of coloured background to be a city councillor in Cape Town. He also led the African Political Organization, a group that fought against unfair separation of people based on race. This group started in 1902.
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Early Life and Education
Abdullah Abdurahman came from a well-off Muslim family in Cape Town. His grandparents had been black slaves who managed to buy their freedom. He got a good British education in Wellington and Cape Town. He went to the South African College Schools. In 1888, he traveled to the University of Glasgow in Scotland to study medicine. He finished his studies and became a doctor in 1893. When he returned to South Africa, he opened a very successful private medical practice in Cape Town.
Working in Local Government
In 1904, Abdullah Abdurahman made history. He was elected as Cape Town's first city councillor from the coloured community. He held this important job almost continuously until he passed away. As a city councillor, he worked hard to make life better for the Cape Coloured community. He focused especially on improving education. He helped create the first secondary schools for coloured students in Cape Town.
From 1923 to 1937, he led the Council's Streets and Drainage Committee. This gave him a lot of influence in how the local government worked. Abdurahman was also the first coloured person to be elected to the Cape Provincial Council in 1914. He served in this position until his death.
Leading the African Political Organisation
Abdullah Abdurahman's biggest political achievements came from his work with the African Political Organisation (APO). He was elected president of the APO in 1905. His efforts were so important that people sometimes jokingly called the group "Abdurahman's Political Organisation."
The APO's main goal was to fight against the growing unfair treatment of people based on their race in South Africa. At first, they focused on the rights of non-African coloured people. Abdurahman led two trips to London to try and get voting rights for coloured people. These efforts happened before the country became the Union of South Africa. However, these attempts were not successful.
Later, between 1927 and 1934, Abdurahman and the APO tried to work more closely with black African political leaders. They hoped to create a stronger, united group to fight for rights. But this effort did not lead to much change. By the late 1930s, other political groups, like the National Liberation League, started to take the lead in the fight for equality.
His Death and What He Left Behind
Abdullah Abdurahman passed away on February 2, 1940, from a cardiac arrest (a heart attack). His funeral was a huge event, with over 30,000 people attending. After he died, the political party he had built up quickly became less important.
His impact on history is seen in different ways. Some people today, who have more radical views, think he was too willing to work with the white authorities. They also feel that his political career didn't achieve many practical results. However, there is no doubt that he was the most powerful coloured politician of his time in South Africa. He was incredibly popular among non-European communities. White leaders also respected him a lot.
In 1999, Nelson Mandela honored Dr. Abdurahman after his death. He was given the Order for Meritorious Service: Class 1 (Gold) for his important work against unfair racial separation.
Abdullah Abdurahman was married twice. His first wife was Helen (Nellie) Potter James, whom he met in Glasgow. They had two daughters, Waradea "Rosie" and Zainunnisa (Cissie) Gool. They divorced in 1923. His younger daughter, Cissie (1900–1963), became an important political figure herself. She served as a municipal councillor in Cape Town. His second marriage was in 1925 to Margaret May Stansfield. They had one daughter, Begum, and two sons, Abdul and Nizam.
