Mark Mathabane facts for kids

Mark Mathabane (born Johannes Mathabane on 18 October 1960) is a South African author and speaker. He was also a college tennis player and professor. He is well-known for writing about his life growing up in South Africa during a time called apartheid.

Early Life in South Africa

Mark Mathabane was born in Alexandra, South Africa, a town near Johannesburg. He grew up in great poverty during the apartheid era. Apartheid was a system where people were separated by race, and Black people had very few rights.

Growing Up in the Ghetto

Mark and his family lived in a crowded area called a ghetto. Over 200,000 people lived in this small space. There were no paved roads, electricity, or proper sewer systems. Food was hard to find, and homes were simple shacks. Mark did not own his first pair of shoes until he was 14 years old. He has said that living under apartheid felt like "living in Hell." The difficult conditions made him feel very sad and hopeless at times.

Mark's Mother: A Source of Hope

Mark Mathabane often talks about how his mother, Magdalene, inspired him. Even though she couldn't read or write, she always showed love and encouraged him. She wanted him to get an education and escape the harsh rules of apartheid. When Mark was seven, his mother took a job to pay for his schooling. This was a big step, even though his father did not agree with the idea of getting an education.

First Steps Towards Freedom

Mark's grandmother worked as a gardener. One day, Mark went to work with her. The family his grandmother worked for gave him his first English book, Treasure Island. Reading this book made Mark dream of a different life, away from apartheid. They also gave him his first tennis racket. He taught himself how to play tennis, which later became very important for his escape from South Africa.

A New Name: Mark

When Mark started playing tennis at Ellis Park, he met his first white friend. Around this time, he began to call himself Mark instead of Johannes.

Life in America

Tennis and Moving to the United States

In 1977, Mark Mathabane met famous tennis player Stan Smith at a tournament in Johannesburg. Stan Smith and his wife, Marjory Gengler, helped Mark get a tennis scholarship. In 1978, Mark moved to the United States. He started attending Limestone College in South Carolina.

• Abe 'Scara' Thomas was like a father figure to Mark. He introduced Mark to tennis, gave him his first racket, and coached him. He also helped Mark meet important people in the tennis world.

College Experiences

Life in America was very different for Mark. Even though he had left apartheid behind, he still faced prejudice and unfair treatment because of his race. Mark attended several colleges: Limestone College in 1978, Saint Louis University in 1979, Quincy College in 1981, and finally Dowling College.

At Dowling College, Mark became the first Black editor of the school magazine. He graduated in 1983 with a degree in Economics, earning high honors. He also studied at the Poynter Institute and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Later in his life, he received an honorary doctorate from Wittenberg University.

Early Success as an Author

In 1986, Mark Mathabane wrote his autobiography, ... Boy. This book shared his experiences growing up in apartheid South Africa. It quickly became a national best-seller. After reading ... Boy, Oprah Winfrey invited Mark to be a guest on her TV show. Mark went on to write several other books.

Recent Life and Work

In 1993, Mark Mathabane visited the White House after being invited by President Bill Clinton, who had read ... Boy. From 1992 to 1993, Mark worked as a White House Fellow for President Clinton, helping with education policies. Mark has written articles for various publications and has been a guest on many TV and radio shows. He is also a popular speaker.

Mark and his wife, Gail, have three children: Bianca (born 1989), Nathan (born 1991), and Stanley (born 1994). They lived in North Carolina before moving to Portland, Oregon, in 2004. In Portland, he worked as the director of multicultural education at Catlin Gabel School.

Magdalene Scholarship Fund

In 2000, Mark Mathabane started a non-profit organization named after his mother, Magdalene. The fund helps children in Alexandra Township, South Africa. It provides scholarships, books, uniforms, and school supplies for needy children attending Bovet Primary School. The goal is to bring hope to an area that has faced many challenges.

Literary Works

... Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa

Mark Mathabane's first book, ... Boy: the True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa, was published in 1986. It is his autobiography about his early life under apartheid. The book was a best-seller, reaching number one on the Washington Post's list and number three on the New York Times best-seller list. ... Boy also won a Christopher Award, has been translated into many languages, and is used in classrooms across America.

... Boy in America: An Encounter with Apartheid

His second book, ... Boy in America: An Encounter with Apartheid, was published in 1989. This autobiography continues his story, describing his early experiences in the United States.

Love in Black and White: The Triumph of Love over Prejudice and Taboo

In 1992, Mark co-wrote his third book, Love in Black and White: The Triumph of Love over Prejudice and Taboo, with his wife Gail. This book explores their interracial relationship and the challenges they faced.

African Women: Three Generations

African Women: Three Generations was Mark's fourth book, published in 1994. It tells the true stories of the struggles faced by his grandmother, mother, and sister in South Africa.

Ubuntu

In 1999, Mark Mathabane wrote his first novel, Ubuntu. This book is a fictional thriller about a human rights lawyer in South Africa after apartheid ended.

Miriam's Song

Miriam's Song was published in 2000 and was nominated for the Alan Paton Award. This book is a true account of the difficulties Mark's sister, Miriam, faced during apartheid in South Africa.

The Proud Liberal

Mark Mathabane's most recent work of fiction, The Proud Liberal, was published in 2010. It is a modern thriller that explores important topics like terrorism, racism, and intolerance in America.

See also

• Alexandra
• Apartheid
• Ghetto
• Johannesburg