Gladys Thomas
Gladys Doreen Thomas (née Adams, 14 December 1934 – 2 April 2022) was a South African poet and playwright. Thomas was one of the first black South African women poets to be published. Her co-authored debut anthology, Cry Rage, was the first book of poetry to be banned in South Africa.
Also recorded as Gladys Adams
Gladys Thomas
- Name
- Gladys Thomas
- Awards
- Order of Ikhamanga - Silver (2007)
- Born
- 1934 · Salt River.
- Died
- 2022
- Nationality
- South Africa
- Occupation
- poet · playwright · writer · activist
- Education
- International Writing Program
- Honours
- Order of Ikhamanga in Silver · South African Literary Awards · Women of the Year
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Gladys Doreen Thomas (née Adams, 14 December 1934 – 2 April 2022) was a South African poet and playwright. Thomas was one of the first black South African women poets to be published. Her co-authored debut anthology, Cry Rage, was the first book of poetry to be banned in South Africa.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Gladys Thomas (1934–2022) was an activist, playwright and poet, among other activities, of South African nationality. The activist was born in Salt River.
Gladys Thomas was educated at International Writing Program. The activist was a member of Congress of South African Writers and Federation of South African Women.
Languages used include English. Honours include Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, South African Literary Awards and Women of the Year.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Gladys Thomas. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q20829299 · wikipedia · Gladys Thomas
In this article
Biography
Biography
On 24 April 2007, Thomas was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga (Silver) for "Outstanding contribution to poetry and short stories through which she exposed the political injustices and human suffering of the apartheid regime and for raising international consciousness about the ravages of apartheid." Thomas died on 2 April 2022, at the age of 87.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Gladys Thomas • Awards — Order of Ikhamanga - Silver (2007)
Works
Works
• Cry Rage!, 1972 • Exile Within, 1986 • Spotty Dog and Other Stories: Stories for and of South African Township Children, c.1983 • Avalon Court (Vignettes of Life of the Coloured People on the Cape Flats of Cape Town)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1934
Gladys Thomas was born on 14 December 1934.
2022
Gladys Thomas died on 2 April 2022.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Gladys Thomas”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q20829299: Gladys Thomas
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.James Currey. The Companion to African Literatures. 283. 2010. 978-1-84701-019-3.
- 2.Eugene Benson. Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English. Routledge. 1270. 2004. 978-1-134-46848-5.
- 3.Gladys Thomas (1944 - ) The Presidency. www.thepresidency.gov.za.
- 4.The Order of Ikhamanga The Presidency. www.thepresidency.gov.za.
- 5.Gladys Thomas: A voice against injustice. 14 April 2022.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Gladys Thomas received Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, South African Literary Awards and Women of the Year. Recorded with the occupation short story writer. Recorded as having received Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, South African Literary Awards and Women of the Year.
Recognition and collections
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,529 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Gladys CampbellAuthor
- Gladys CarmagnolaAuthor
- Gladys Casely-HayfordAuthor
- Gladys CromwellAuthor
- Gladys YangAuthor
- Glauco MattosoAuthor
- Gleb ShulpyakovAuthor
- Gleb StruveAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Gladys Thomas?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.