A full biography of the founding president of the African National Council (ANC), this account uncovers the inspirations for John L. Dubes many public achievements. Tracing the history of his forbearers in the Zulu kingdom, this volume chronicles the politicians life from his birth in 1871, and highlights his many achievements, including the founding of the Ohlange School, the key role he played in the Bhambatha Rebellion, and the authorship of the first Zulu novel. As it evaluates Dubes five-year presidency of the ANC, this book shows that in spite of the many conflicts and ambiguities in his position, Dubes central political beliefthat Africans should be directly represented in the parliament of the landremained remarkably constant throughout his long career.