Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) was an Archbishop of South Africa, Nobel Peace laureate, anti-apartheid activist and alumni of King’s College London. Prior to studying at King’s College London, Tutu was a teacher in South Africa and was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1961. Tutu completed his undergraduate degree in Theology in 1965, and master’s in theology in 1966 at King’s College London. Tutu was a recipient of the 1962 Worsley scholarship, awarded by the Faculty of Theology. After continuing with teaching in South Africa, Tutu returned to London in 1972 as the director for Africa at the Theological Education Fund. In 1975 Tutu served as Bishop of Lesotho. Later, Tutu emerged as a prominent opponent of apartheid and one of the leaders of the civil rights movement, stressing the importance of non-violent protest and bringing about universal suffrage. Tutu was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984 for his opposition to apartheid and in the following year Tutu became Bishop of Johannesburg. In 1986 Tutu became Archbishop of Cape Town and the president of the All Africa Conference of Churches. Following the 1994 general election which elected Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first black president, Tutu was selected to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The commission involved investigations into human rights violations during the apartheid and was significant in helping South Africa transition away from the oppressive apartheid system. Tutu also wrote several books which reflect on his life, religious views and activism. In 2013 Tutu was awarded the Templeton Prize in recognition of his lifelong work. Until his death in 2021, Tutu would regularly return to King’s College London to speak at ceremonies. In 2011, he reflected fondly on his time at King’s, saying that ‘now I look back and just think of how affirming it was to be at Kings’. Tutu’s life and memory highlights his consistent commitment to religious teaching, leadership, and human rights activism. His connection to King’s College London has continued to inspire future generations of students and shape the university.