Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu

Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. Following his father's example, Tutu became a schoolteacher in 1954 but left his post in 1957 and was ordained an Anglican parish priest in 1961. Among his many pioneering church positions, he became the first black archbishop to lead South Africa's 1.6 million Anglicans. Tutu has remained a leader in the fight against AIDS, homophobia, poverty, and racism and a supporter of women’s rights in Africa. As an opponent of apartheid, who vehemently opposes violence, Tutu supported peaceful negotiation and international sanctions against the South African government. Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, and was appointed chair of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995. More recently, amongst many other honors, Tutu was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, and the Gandhi Peace prize in 2005 for his work in Africa and around the world.

Resources for Teachers and Students

Reflections on Working Towards Peace