Black History Month

Crying in the Wilderness

Desmond Tutu

Nonfiction, 1982

Crying in the Wilderness: The Struggle for Justice in South Africa is a compendium of speeches, interviews and sermons given by Desmond Tutu while he served as the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, between 1978 and 1980. In this collection Tutu champions non-violent reform, but also predicts bloodshed and rioting will ensue if conditions in South Africa do not improve. Tutu recounts his experiences of having his passport revoked and serving time in jail. He insists that there is no Christian Scriptural defense for apartheid, as his opposers claim. He also counters accusations that his politics are Marxist or Communist. Editor John Webster includes introductions to each section, to place the speeches within historical context. Events such as the Steven Biko case are also covered.