Charlotte Maxeke

**Charlotte Makgomo (née Mannya) Maxeke** (7 April 1871 – 16 October 1939) na she be a South African religious leader, social den political activist. By graduating plus a B.Sc. from Wilberforce University, Ohio, insyd 1903, she cam be de first black woman insyd South Africa make she graduate plus a university degree as well as de first African woman make she graduate from an American university.

## Early life
Na dem born Charlotte Makgomo Mannya insyd Ga-Ramokgopa, Limpopo, South Africa, on 7 April 1871 wey na she grow up insyd Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape. Na she be de daughter of John Kgope Mannya, de son of headman Modidima Mannya of de Batlokwa people, under Chief Mamafa Ramokgopa den Anna Manci, a Xhosa woman from Fort Beaufort. Na Mannya ein poppie be a roads foreman den Presbyterian lay preacher, wey na ein mommie be a teacher. Na Mannya ein grandpoppie serve as a key adviser to de King of de Basothos. Soon after ein birth, na Mannya ein family move go Fort Beaufort, wer na ein poppie gain employment at a road construction company. Details about Mannya ein siblings be unclear, however, na she get a sisto dem know as Katie, wey na dem born am insyd Fort Beaufort. Na Mannya ein date of birth be disputed, plus possible dates wey dey range from 1871, 1872 to 1874. Na de Former Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa, Naledi Pandor, take special interest insyd dis detail of Charlotte Maxeke ein life, however, na dem no find records. Na dem often accept de 1871 date as e no dey conflict plus de age of ein younger sisto Katie, wey na dem born insyd 1873.

At de age of eight, na Charlotte Mannya begin ein primary school classes at a missionary school wey de Reverend Isaac Wauchope teach insyd Uitenhage. Na she excel insyd Dutch den English, mathematics den music. Na she spend long hours dey tutor ein less skilled classmates, often plus great success. Na Reverend Wauchope credit am plus much of ein teaching success particularly plus regard to languages. Na ein musical prowess be visible at a young age. Dey describe Charlotte ein singing na Rev. Henry Reed Ngcayiya, a minister of de United Church den family paddie say: "Na she get de voice of an angel insyd heaven."

From Uitenhage, na Charlotte move go Port Elizabeth make she study at de Edward Memorial School under Headmaster Paul Xiniwe. Na she excel den plete ein secondary school education insyd record time, dey achieve de highest possible grades. Insyd 1885, after de discovery of diamonds, na Charlotte move go Kimberley, Northern Cape, plus ein family.

## References


### Sources

* *Songs of Zion: The African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States and South Africa*, James T. Campbell, 1995, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
* *Beauty of the Heart: The Life and Times of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke*, Zubeida Jaffer,&nbsp;2016, Bloemfontein: Sun Press.
* Ana Stevenson and Claire Cooke, "Recovering the Transnational Life of Charlotte Maxeke: An Interview with Zubeida Jaffer", *Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Studies* 19, no. 1 (2018): 9–15.

## External links

*"Charlotte Maxeke" at johannesburghospital.org
*"Social Conditions Among Bantu Women and Girls". Address by Charlotte Maxeke at the Conference of European and Bantu Christian Student Associations at Fort Hare, June 27–July 3, 1930 &#91;Extract&#93;.
*"Charlotte Maxeke", panafricancongress.org.