African Activist Archive

The press release says on October 18, 1981, the Western Massachusetts Dennis Brutus Defense Committee (WMDBDC) met in Amherst to discuss defense and support activities. Dennis Brutus, an exiled South African poet, is presently a visiting professor at Amherst College. For the past ten years, Brutus has been a professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, as a poet, writer, scholar, educator and lecturer. Brutus is internationally known as a human rights advocate and a spokesperson for the anti-apartheid movement. He led the Olympic Committee in 1968 - 1972 to the eventual expulsion of South Africa from participation in the Olympic Games. Recently, he also served as Visiting Professor at the University of Denver and at the University of Texas in Austin in the Dept. of English and African and Afro-American Studies Research Center. Despite this service, he was denied approval to remain in the United States. Last week, he was served with an order to appear before the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) on November 10, 1981 to show cause why he should not be deported. Immigration lawyer Nasif Mahmoud is representing Brutus. The Dennis Brutus Defense Committee has been co-convened by Rep. Gus Savage, U.S. Congress; Chauncey Bailey, Director, Black Press Institute; and Dr. Jan Carew, Professor at Northwestern University. DBDC endorsers include Jennifer Davis, Executive Director, American Committee on Africa and Dr. Norman Bennett, President, African American Studies. The WMDBDC is seeking letters of support on Brutus' behalf and will be circulating petitions to be presented to the INS and holding fundraising activities. The Western Mass chapter, whose coordinator is Springfield Attorney Arthur Serota, is organizing in Springfield, Westfield and the Hampshire County/Five College area. The Amherst Coordinator in Mokubung Nkomo. The press release mentions the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

African Activist Archive

[On Friday, October 16, 1981, the Western Massachusetts chapter of the Dennis Brutus Defense Committee was formed and formally met in Amherst.]

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