Keorapetse Kgositsile

Keorapetse Kgositsile was a South African poet, journalist, writer and essayist (1938–2018). He was born at Johannesburg and died at Parktown.

Also recorded as Bra Willie; Keorapetse William Kgositsile; Willie Kgositsile.

Keorapetse Kgositsile in brief

Born
1938
Died
2018
Known for
poet, journalist, writer and essayist
Place of birth
Johannesburg
Contents

Identity and origins

He also worked under the name Bra Willie. The authorities additionally record the headings Bra Willie, Keorapetse William Kgositsile and Willie Kgositsile. His recorded language was English.

He married Baleka Mbete and Melba Johnson Kgositsile. One child is recorded: Earl Sweatshirt.

Catalogued works

11 works under this name are catalogued by Open Library.

My name is Afrika. If I could sing. To the bitter end. Approaches To Poetry Writing. The present is a dangerous place to live. Spirits unchained. This Way I Salute You. When the clouds clear. The word is here. The world is here. For Melba.

Literature

3 scholarly publications naming this subject were located in the registry of record.

"With Bloodstains To Testify": An Interview with Keorapetse Kgositsile, Callaloo, 2026. A tribute to Keorapetse Kgositsile, South Africa’s poet laureate, 2018. Kgositsile, Keorapetse William (Bra Willie), Encyclopedia of the Black Arts Movement, 2019.

Digitised editions and texts

1 digitised item associated with this heading is catalogued by Internet Archive.

Keorapetse Kgositsile Collected Poems, 1969– 2018 (Keorapetse Kgositsile) (2023) — Internet Archive.

Scholarly footprint

Bibliographic registers publish measured figures for this heading: 12 language editions of the general reference literature carrying an article (Wikimedia (language editions)). A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.

Evidence base

This article draws on 3 independent source lineages. Copies and mirrors of the same underlying record were collapsed into a single witness, so 3 means 3 genuinely separate publishers of record. 16 further registers were consulted and returned nothing for this heading.

Chronology

  1. 1938Keorapetse Kgositsile born at Johannesburg.
  2. 2018Keorapetse Kgositsile died at Parktown.
  3. 2023Keorapetse Kgositsile Collected Poems, 1969– 2018 (Keorapetse Kgositsile) digitised by Internet Archive.

Sources

Each source is named with the standing the house places on it, so the evidence can be weighed rather than taken on trust.

  1. 1.

    "With Bloodstains To Testify": An Interview with Keorapetse Kgositsile, Callaloo, 2026

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  2. 2.

    A tribute to Keorapetse Kgositsile, South Africa’s poet laureate, 2018

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  3. 3.

    Kgositsile, Keorapetse William (Bra Willie), Encyclopedia of the Black Arts Movement, 2019

    scholarly publication · Scholarly

    Consult the source
  4. 4.

    Open Library author record for Keorapetse Kgositsile (Internet Archive), 11 catalogued works.

    Institutional database · Scholarly · Internet Archive

    Consult the source
  5. 5.

    Internet Archive, 1 digitised item catalogued under Keorapetse Kgositsile as creator.

    digital repository · Unverified

    Consult the source
  6. 6.

    Wikidata, structured authority record Q1657674: Keorapetse Kgositsile

    reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikidata

    Consult the source
  7. 7.

    “Keorapetse Kgositsile”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading

    reference work · Reputable secondary · Wikipedia

    Consult the source

Elsewhere in Books

For owners

Own a work by Keorapetse Kgositsile?

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