Alf Kumalo facts for kids

Alfred Khumalo (born September 5, 1930 – died October 21, 2012), known as Alf Kumalo, was a famous South African photographer. He was especially known for taking pictures that told stories, like a photojournalist.

Who Was Alf Kumalo?

Alf Kumalo was born in a place called Utrecht in South Africa. He started his career by working odd jobs in a garage. Later, he began taking photos and selling them to different newspapers and magazines. He worked a lot for a publication called Bantu World.

In 1956, he got a full-time job at the Golden City Post. He also worked for big newspapers like The Star and The New York Times. He even worked for Drum magazine. Alf Kumalo was one of the brave photographers who captured the sad events of the Sharpeville massacre on March 21, 1960.

In 1963, while working for Drum magazine, he went on a special trip. He traveled with another journalist, Harry Mashabela, to take pictures of African students in countries behind the Iron Curtain. This was a term for communist countries in Eastern Europe. Their trip was so important that they were on the front cover of Drum magazine!

While in London, Alf Kumalo interviewed the famous boxer Cassius Clay. He also found out he had won first prize in a photo competition! The prize was a new car. He had used his African names, Mangaliso Dukuza, when entering. He wanted the judges to pick his photo fairly, without knowing his reputation. A picture of him and his award was even on the front page of The Star newspaper. This was a big deal for black people at the time. Usually, they only made the front page if they were in trouble.

Alf Kumalo was very brave. He kept taking pictures even when it was dangerous. He risked being arrested or hurt. David Hazelhurst, who was the editor of Drum magazine, remembered one time in 1963. Alf Kumalo brought him a powerful picture. It showed a policeman kicking Harry Mashabela. This was a time when police had a lot of power and could arrest people without a trial. Police did not like journalists, especially photographers. This was because their pictures showed the truth about the unfair system. Alf Kumalo risked a lot to take that photo. He tried to sell it to other papers, but they wouldn't publish it. David Hazelhurst decided to print the picture across two pages of Drum magazine.

Over the years, Alf Kumalo photographed many important moments in South African history. These included the Treason Trial and the Rivonia Trial. He also documented the rise of the Black Consciousness Movement. This movement encouraged black people to be proud of their identity. He also covered the Student Uprising of 1976. This was when students protested against unfair education. He also photographed the Codesa talks. These talks helped bring democracy to South Africa. He did all this even though he was often arrested and bothered by officials.

His photos appeared in big international newspapers. These included The Observer and The New York Times. He also worked for local papers like Drum magazine.

To help new photographers in South Africa, Alf Kumalo opened a photography school. This was in Diepkloof, Soweto, in 2002. The school offered courses to train young photographers. It especially helped those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Alf Kumalo passed away on October 21, 2012.

Exhibitions

Alf Kumalo's amazing photographs have been shown in many exhibitions. These shows helped people around the world see his work.

Solo Exhibitions

• 2004 – His photos were shown at the United Nations in New York City. This exhibition showed many of his life's works and was very popular.
• 2012 – An exhibition called The Struggle Continues opened at the Sibisi Gallery. It featured his photos of the Soweto uprising. This show opened on June 16, which is Youth Day in South Africa.

Group Exhibitions

• 2001 – An exhibition called Soweto – A South African Myth showed photos from the 1950s. It included work by Alf Kumalo and other photographers. The main part of the show was about the Soweto uprising of 1976.
• 2002 – Shooting Resistance: South African Photography 1976 – 1994 was another exhibition. It showed photos from the time of big changes in South Africa. This period started with the student-led Soweto uprising in 1976. It ended when the unfair apartheid government fell. It also showed when democratic elections began in 1994. Photos by Kumalo and others were included.
• 2006 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg held an exhibition called Madiba: Public and Private. It featured photos by Alf Kumalo and Jürgen Schadeberg. Schadeberg's photos showed Mandela in public in the 1950s. Kumalo's photos showed Mandela's private life, especially his family. Many of Kumalo's pictures were taken of Mandela's growing family. These were sent to Mandela while he was in jail.

Awards

Alf Kumalo received important awards for his work:

• 2004 – He was given the South African Order of Ikhamanga in Silver. This was for his "excellent contribution to documentary photography and journalism in South Africa."
• 2005 – He received the "Nat Nakasa Award for Media Integrity." This award from the South African National Editors' Forum recognized his "courageous journalism" throughout his career.

See Also

• List of South African photographers