Contents
Lilian Ngoyi
Helping lead the 1956 women’s march against apartheid pass laws.
Women’s League · Pretoria march
- Born
- 25 September 1911
- Birthplace
- Pretoria, South Africa
- Died
- 13 March 1980
More people
Lilian Ngoyi
Lilian Ngoyi was a South African organiser who connected trade-union activism with the struggle against apartheid and for women’s rights.
Early life
Limited schooling
Left school because her family could not afford further education.
Working life
Trained in nursing before earning a living in garment work.
Career
- 1952
Defiance Campaign
Joined organised resistance to apartheid laws.
- 1954
Women’s federation
Helped found the Federation of South African Women.
- 1962
Banning orders
Faced restrictions on movement, meetings and public speech.
Selected work
Women’s League
Became president of the ANC Women’s League.
Pretoria march
Co-led 20,000 women to the Union Buildings.
ANC executive
Became its first woman executive-committee member.
Beyond work
Family responsibilities
Supported children and her mother as a widowed seamstress.
International links
Travelled abroad in 1955 to meet women’s organisations.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Further source ↗Photo: Azola Dayile. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
