Sol Plaatje: an intellectual giant in the twentieth-century history of black South Africa

Solomon Tshekisho “Sol†Plaatje (1876–1932) is a neglected, albeit paramount, thinker of South Africa. Educated in the USA and in Great Britain, this talented and erudite intellectual fiercely argued for the rights of blacks during the colonial era in South Africa. Similarly, he advocated the preservation of local languages and cultures, such as those of the Tswana. More generally, Sol Plaatje was preoccupied with ways of achieving equality between ethnic groups. For that reason, his egalitarian views deserve more attention. As a leading thinker, and also a prolific writer of his time, Sol Plaatje symbolizes the Progressive Era for South African racial politics. This chapter sheds light on the relevance of his thought, which still rings true today.