Archbishop Desmond Tutu 1931-2021


1931: Desmond Tutu born of mixed Xhosa and Motswana heritage in Klerksdorp, small gold-mining town in then-Transvaal
  
1932: Baptised into Methodist Church. Family later changes denomination to Anglican Church

1943: Confirmed at St Mary's Church, Roodepoort
  
1945: Joins church as server to priest, Trevor Huddleston (right, in 1987), a strong opponent of apartheid and arguably Tutu’s biggest influence

1951: Begins teacher training. First meets lawyer Nelson Mandela at Debating Society event
    
1953: Ruling National Party implements Bantu Education Act, racially segregating schools

1955: Marries Nomalizo Leah Shenxane in Catholic ceremony
  
1956: Quits teaching to train for clergy

1960: Ordained as Anglican priest. Studies in UK and East Jerusalem
  
1976: Becomes rector of Soweto parish, speaking out against apartheid during township rebellion, but refusing to back violent struggle

1977: Speaks at funeral of Steve Biko, activist murdered by police

1978: Becomes. General Secretary of South African Council of Churches, supporting international economic boycott of apartheid regime, meeting and urging world leaders to apply sanctions

1984: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in snub to South Africa’s rulers

1985: Appointed Bishop of Johannesburg

1986: Becomes Archbishop of Cape Town, head of Anglican Church in South Africa

1988: Support for Sharpeville Six protesters, whose death sentences are later commuted

1989: Meets new President F. W. de Klerk to call for end to apartheid

1990: De Klerk agrees to free Nelson Mandela. Tutu announces ban on clergy joining political parties, in bid to quell inter-party violence

1994: Mandela asks Tutu to head Truth and Reconciliation Committee following victory of African National Congress in post-apartheid elections, to try to heal deep, historic wounds

2013: Excluded from Mandela funeral after public criticism of ANC
    
Dec 26, 2021: “Moral conscience of a nation” dies at home in Cape Town


Pictures: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS
Sources: BBC, Guardian