African National Congress (ANC) leader and Anglican clergyman, James Arthur Calata, dies in Cradock, Eastern Cape. He joined the ANC in 1930 and rose to become its secretary-general. In this capacity, Calata was signatory of the 1949 Programme of Action, though he found the proposal of the Youth League too extreme. During the Defiance Campaign of 1952, he was banned from attending gatherings but was eventually allowed to carry on with his church work, although not without government harassment. In 1960, Calata was given a six months suspended sentence under the Suppression of Communism Act. He continued serving the ANC's structures both nationally and provincially until his death.
eventREF E-0012523Revised
16 June 1983
ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies
- Updated
- 30 Sep 2019
How we know this
- 01Verwey, E.J. (ed)(1995). New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.1 , Pretoria: HSRC.
- 02Arthur, James., (1983), 'Biography of Calata family', from Rhodes University, 16 June, [online], Available at www.ru.ac.za [Accessed: 11 June 2014]
Last updated · 30 Sep 2019
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012523
South African History Online (2011) 'ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012523 (Accessed: 5 November 2026).
South African History Online, ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012523, (accessed 5 November 2026).
"ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012523. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.
South African History Online. "ANC leader, James Arthur Calata, dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012523.
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