Background
Mphahlele, Es'kia was born on December 17, 1919 in Marabastad Township, Pretoria, South Africa. Son of Moses and Eva Mphahlele.
Mphahlele, Es'kia was born on December 17, 1919 in Marabastad Township, Pretoria, South Africa. Son of Moses and Eva Mphahlele.
Student, Adams Teachers Training College, 1940. Bachelor with honors, University South Africa, 1949. Master of Arts, University South Africa, 1956.
Doctor of Philosophy, University Denver, 1968.
Teacher English and Afrikaans Orlando High School, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1945-1952. Lecturer English Literature University Ibadan, Nigeria, 1957-1961. Director African programs International Association Cultural Freedom, Paris, 1961-1963.
Director Chemchemi Creative Center, Nairobi, Kenya, 1963-1965. Lecturer University College, 1965-1966. Senior lecturer English University Zambia, Lusaka, 1968-1970.
Professor English University Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1974-1977. Senior resident research fellow University Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, from 1978, professor African Literature, 1983-1987. Secretary for institute for the blind, 1941-1945.
Teaching fellow University Denver, 1966-1968. Associate professor English, 1970-1974. Education officer Northern Transvaal.
Man Must Live, The Living and the Dead (short stories), Down Second Avenue (autobiography). The Wanderers (novel) 1972, In Comer B (short stories). The African Image (essays).Voices in the Whirlwind (essays), Chirundu (novel) 1981, Afrika My Music (autobiog.) 1984, Father Come Home (novel) 1984, Creative Writing Guides: Let's Talk Writing, Prose and Let’s Talk Writing, Poetry. The Story of African Literature 1986, Renewal Time 1989.
Music, theatre.
Married Rebecca Mochadibane, 1945. Children: Anthony, Teresa Kefilwe (deceased), Motswiri, Chabi Robert, Puso.