50 moments

1. Birth in Klerksdorp

   1931-10-07 · Klerksdorp, Transvaal, Union of South Africa

   Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born in Klerksdorp, beginning a life that would lead to major religious and anti-apartheid leadership.

2. Childhood move to Tshing

   1936-01-01 · Tshing, North West, South Africa

   Tutu moved with his family to Tshing, where he began primary education and served at St Francis Anglican Church. Coordinates represent the Tshing settlement.

3. Schooling in Johannesburg

   1941-01-01 · Roodepoort West, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

   As a child, Tutu joined his mother in Johannesburg and attended school there before subsequent moves within Transvaal. The source dates the move as “Around 1941.”

4. Johannesburg Bantu High School

   1945-01-01 · Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

   Tutu entered Johannesburg Bantu High School, where he excelled academically and played rugby. Coordinates represent central Johannesburg; the source does not provide the school’s exact historic site.

5. Teacher training in Pretoria

   1951-01-01 · Pretoria Bantu Normal College, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa

   Tutu began teacher training at Pretoria Bantu Normal College, developing student leadership experience alongside his studies. Coordinates represent Pretoria because the source does not identify the college’s exact campus location.

6. Marriage in Krugersdorp

   1955-06-01 · Krugersdorp, Transvaal, South Africa

   Tutu married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane in Krugersdorp before their Roman Catholic wedding ceremony at the Church of Mary Queen of Apostles. Coordinates represent Krugersdorp town centre.

7. Theological training at St Peter's

   1956-01-01 · Rosettenville, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

   Tutu entered the residential St Peter's Theological College in Rosettenville as he prepared for Anglican ministry. Coordinates represent Rosettenville; the college’s historic building location is not specified in the source.

8. Assistant curacy in Benoni

   1960-01-01 · St Alban's Parish, Benoni, Transvaal, South Africa

   After ordination, Tutu served as assistant curate in St Alban's Parish and reunited with his wife and children. The source gives the appointment after his December 1960 ordination but does not state a separate month.

9. Ordination at St Mary's Cathedral

   1960-12-01 · St Mary's Cathedral, Johannesburg, South Africa

   Tutu was ordained an Anglican priest at St Mary's Cathedral before beginning parish ministry.

10. Parish leadership in Thokoza

    1962-01-01 · St Philip's Church, Thokoza, Transvaal, South Africa

    Tutu was transferred to St Philip's Church in Thokoza, where he led the congregation and developed a commitment to pastoral ministry. Coordinates represent Thokoza township.

11. Study and ministry in Golders Green

    1962-01-01 · Church of St Alban the Martyr, Golders Green, London, England, United Kingdom

    Tutu moved to London to study at King's College London and assisted Sunday services while living at the curate's flat behind St Alban the Martyr. The source states that the Tutus moved to Britain in September 1962 but does not separately date the move to Golders Green.

12. Assistant curacy in Bletchingley

    1965-01-01 · St Mary's Church, Bletchingley, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

    During his master's studies, Tutu worked as assistant curate at St Mary's Church in Bletchingley, Surrey. The master's-degree period ran from October 1965 to September 1966; the source does not date the move more precisely.

13. Language study in East Jerusalem

    1966-01-01 · St George's College, East Jerusalem

    Tutu and his family spent two months in East Jerusalem, where he studied Arabic and Greek at St George's College.

14. Teaching at Federal Theological Seminary

    1967-01-01 · Federal Theological Seminary, Alice, Cape Province, South Africa

    After returning to South Africa, Tutu settled in Alice and taught doctrine, the Old Testament, and Greek at the Federal Theological Seminary. Coordinates represent Alice; the source identifies Fedsem as located there.

15. University post in Roma

    1970-01-01 · University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, Roma, Lesotho

    Tutu moved to the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland campus in Roma, teaching and serving as Anglican chaplain and residence warden.

16. Theological Education Fund base near Bromley

    1972-03-01 · Grove Park, London, England, United Kingdom

    Tutu returned to Britain to direct the Theological Education Fund’s work in Africa, with the family based near the organization’s Bromley headquarters. Coordinates represent Grove Park, the documented family base.

17. Black theology conference paper

    1973-01-01 · Union Theological Seminary, New York City, New York, United States

    Tutu attended a black-theology conference at Union Theological Seminary and presented a paper articulating his engaged theological approach.

18. Installation as dean of St Mary's

    1975-08-01 · St Mary's Cathedral, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Tutu was installed as dean of St Mary's Cathedral, becoming the first Black person to hold the senior Anglican office.

19. Enthronement as Bishop of Lesotho

    1976-08-01 · Cathedral of St Mary and St James, Maseru, Lesotho

    Tutu was enthroned Bishop of Lesotho before a large congregation including the king and prime minister.

20. Steve Biko funeral address

    1977-09-01 · Eastern Cape, South Africa

    Tutu returned to South Africa to speak at the funeral of Black Consciousness activist Steve Biko, who had been killed by police. The source identifies only the Eastern Cape; coordinates are a representative provincial point.

21. South African Council of Churches leadership

    1978-03-01 · Khotso House, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Tutu took charge of the South African Council of Churches and returned with his family to Orlando West, Johannesburg. Coordinates represent central Johannesburg; the historic Khotso House site is not specified in the source.

22. Meeting Pope John Paul II

    1981-03-01 · Vatican City

    During the same international tour, Tutu met Pope John Paul II in Rome. The source places this meeting within Tutu’s March 1981 five-week tour.

23. Sermon at Westminster Abbey

    1981-03-01 · Westminster Abbey, London, England, United Kingdom

    On an international anti-apartheid tour, Tutu met Archbishop Robert Runcie and preached at Westminster Abbey. The source gives March 1981 for the tour.

24. Episcopal Church convention address

    1982-09-01 · New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

    Tutu addressed the Episcopal Church’s Triennial Convention in New Orleans during a United States visit. Coordinates represent central New Orleans; the convention venue is not named in the source.

25. Sabbatical and UN address in New York

    1984-01-01 · General Theological Seminary, New York City, New York, United States

    Tutu spent a three-month sabbatical at General Theological Seminary and addressed the United Nations Security Council in New York City. Coordinates identify General Theological Seminary; his United Nations address was elsewhere in New York City.

26. Nobel Peace Prize ceremony

    1984-12-01 · Oslo, Norway

    Tutu attended the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo, international recognition for his anti-apartheid leadership. The source does not specify the Oslo ceremony venue; coordinates represent the city centre.

27. United Nations General Assembly advocacy

    1985-10-01 · United Nations Headquarters, New York City, New York, United States

    Tutu addressed the United Nations General Assembly’s political committee, urging international sanctions unless apartheid was dismantled.

28. Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize

    1986-02-01 · Atlanta, Georgia, United States

    Tutu was in Atlanta receiving the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize when supporters organized his campaign for Archbishop of Cape Town. Coordinates represent central Atlanta; the award venue is not named in the source.

29. Enthronement as Archbishop of Cape Town

    1986-09-07 · St George's Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu became the first Black Archbishop of Cape Town in a major moment for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

30. Meeting with P. W. Botha over Sharpeville Six

    1988-03-01 · Tuynhuys, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu personally met President P. W. Botha at Tuynhuys while campaigning against the death sentences imposed on the Sharpeville Six. The source dates this episode to March 1988.

31. Christmas pilgrimage to Jerusalem

    1989-01-01 · Jerusalem

    Tutu undertook a Christmas pilgrimage to Jerusalem, delivered a sermon near Bethlehem, and visited Yad Vashem. The source dates the pilgrimage only to 1989; coordinates represent Jerusalem.

32. Meeting Yasser Arafat

    1989-01-01 · Cairo, Egypt

    Tutu met Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat in Cairo and urged acceptance of Israel’s existence. Coordinates represent central Cairo; the meeting venue is not named in the source.

33. Cape Town protest march

    1989-09-01 · Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu organized and joined a permitted multiracial protest march through Cape Town during the final years of apartheid. Coordinates represent Cape Town city centre; the march route is not specified.

34. Meeting Nelson Mandela after release

    1990-02-01 · Cape Town City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu and Nelson Mandela met at Cape Town City Hall shortly after Mandela’s release, their first meeting in 35 years. The source places this event in February 1990 but does not give a day.

35. Peace talks in Ulundi

    1990-03-01 · Ulundi, KwaZulu, South Africa

    Tutu joined an SACC delegation in Ulundi for talks with Mandela, de Klerk, and Mangosuthu Buthelezi amid ANC–Inkatha violence.

36. Political summit at Bishopscourt

    1990-11-01 · Bishopscourt, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu organized a Bishopscourt summit of church and Black political leaders to encourage nonviolence and free political campaigning. Coordinates represent the Bishopscourt area rather than the private archiepiscopal residence.

37. Televised service in Dublin

    1991-01-01 · Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland

    Tutu delivered a televised service from Christ Church Cathedral calling for negotiations among all sides in Northern Ireland. The source says “three years later” after its discussion of the 1988 Lambeth Conference; 1991 is therefore the supported year-level date.

38. Visiting professorship at Emory

    1998-01-01 · Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

    Tutu began a two-year visiting professorship at Emory University, a period during which he wrote No Future Without Forgiveness. The card uses the beginning year of the documented 1998–2000 appointment.

39. Visit to Belfast

    2001-01-01 · Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

    Tutu returned to Belfast during his continuing engagement with Northern Irish peace and reconciliation. Coordinates represent Belfast city centre.

40. Teaching at Episcopal Divinity School

    2002-01-01 · Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

    Tutu taught at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, during his post-archiepiscopal academic work. The school’s historic Cambridge campus is used.

41. Teaching at the University of North Carolina

    2003-01-01 · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

    Tutu taught at the University of North Carolina from January through May while continuing international public engagement. Coordinates represent the Chapel Hill campus.

42. Anti-Iraq War demonstration

    2003-02-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Tutu joined a New York City demonstration against plans for the United States to launch the Iraq War. The source dates the demonstration to February 2003 but does not specify its site.

43. Meeting with the Dalai Lama in Vancouver

    2004-01-01 · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    

    Tutu appeared with the Dalai Lama in Vancouver, reflecting their shared roles as Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Evidence is a contemporaneous photograph caption; coordinates represent central Vancouver.

44. Visiting professorship at King's College London

    2004-01-01 · King's College London, London, England, United Kingdom

    Tutu returned to his alma mater as visiting professor of postconflict societies at King's College London. Coordinates represent King’s College London’s Strand campus.

45. The Elders mission to Sudan

    2007-10-01 · Sudan

    As chair of The Elders, Tutu led the group’s first mission to Sudan to foster peace during the Darfur crisis. The source identifies Sudan but not the mission’s specific itinerary; coordinates are a representative point near Khartoum.

46. Pro-Tibet demonstration

    2008-01-01 · San Francisco, California, United States

    During the Tibetan unrest, Tutu marched in a pro-Tibet demonstration in San Francisco and called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. The source does not give a month or demonstration site.

47. UN climate conference attendance

    2009-01-01 · Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Tutu attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and later advocated fossil-fuel divestment. Coordinates identify Bella Center, the principal conference venue.

48. Climate-justice rally at COP17

    2011-11-01 · Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

    Tutu appeared at the “We Have Faith: Act Now for Climate Justice” rally during COP17 in Durban. Evidence is a photograph caption; coordinates represent central Durban.

49. Oil-sands visit

    2014-05-01 · Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

    Tutu visited Fort McMurray and condemned what he described as negligence and greed in oil extraction.

50. Death at Oasis Frail Care Centre

    2021-12-26 · Oasis Frail Care Centre, Century City, Cape Town, South Africa

    Tutu died of cancer at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town at age 90. Coordinates represent the Oasis Care Centre in Century City, Cape Town.