Ruth First was born on 4 May 1925 in Johannesburg, Between 1946-1952 she was the Johannesburg editor of the weekly newspaper The Guardian, the mouthpiece of the SACP. When this publication was banned in 1952, it was restarted under the name Clarion, a pattern which continued throughout the next decade, the titles used being People's World, Advance, New Age and Spark. Between 1954-1963 she was also the editor of Fighting Talk, a Johannesburg based monthly.
In 1950, she was named under the Suppression of Communism Act and her movements restricted. In 1953 she was banned from membership of all political organisations, although in 1955 she helped draw up the Freedom Charter, a fundamental document of the African National Congress, and was later a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC's military wing. In December 1956, she was among the 156 people charged in the so-called Treason Trial, although her indictment was dismissed in April 1959.
In August 1963 she was arrested and detained under the 90-Day Law for a total period of 117 days.
Ruth First was killed on 17 Aug 1982, when she opened a parcel bomb addressed to her at the above university
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Apartheid South Africa
09.11.2005 14:48
Ruth First was born on 4 May 1925 in Johannesburg, Between 1946-1952 she was the Johannesburg editor of the weekly newspaper The Guardian, the mouthpiece of the SACP. When this publication was banned in 1952, it was restarted under the name Clarion, a pattern which continued throughout the next decade, the titles used being People's World, Advance, New Age and Spark. Between 1954-1963 she was also the editor of Fighting Talk, a Johannesburg based monthly.
In 1950, she was named under the Suppression of Communism Act and her movements restricted. In 1953 she was banned from membership of all political organisations, although in 1955 she helped draw up the Freedom Charter, a fundamental document of the African National Congress, and was later a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC's military wing. In December 1956, she was among the 156 people charged in the so-called Treason Trial, although her indictment was dismissed in April 1959.
In August 1963 she was arrested and detained under the 90-Day Law for a total period of 117 days.
Ruth First was killed on 17 Aug 1982, when she opened a parcel bomb addressed to her at the above university
communist with long memory