South Africa: “We Are Bound to Struggle” -an interview with Chief Luthuli

An Interview with Chief Luthuli, Head of the National Congress

In 1954 George Houser, then visiting South Africa, met Chief Albert J. Luthuli, present head of the African National Congress and, as such, an authoritative spokesman for large numbers of his countrymen. We are publishing here excerpts of an interview held with Chief Luthuli.

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Q. Chief Luthuli, can you tell me which group you are chief of?
A. Until I was deposed I was, of course, chief of what is known as the Amakola tribe, in the Umvoti Mission Reserve, a community founded by the American-born missionary, Reverend Grout. These people, for over one hundred years, I think, have elected their own chief. They requested the government that they be given the right to elect their chief so that they might be able to elect people who are more or less in sympathy with Christian principles. They were established by a missionary and are more or less a Christian community.

Q. How many people live in the community?
A. We are 5,000 men, women and children, according to the
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