Tutu Chosen: First Black Anglican Leader Elected
Desmond Tutu was elected Archbishop of Cape Town on September 7, 1986, becoming the first Black leader of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa. Tutu had already won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his nonviolent opposition to apartheid, and his elevation to the highest ecclesiastical office in South Africa gave him an even larger platform. He used the position to advocate for international sanctions against the apartheid government, organized mass peaceful protests, and repeatedly put himself between police and demonstrators. After apartheid ended, President Nelson Mandela appointed Tutu to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated human rights abuses from both sides and chose restorative justice over retribution.
September 7, 1986
40 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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