Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident

Molly Blackburn Source: www.sahistory.org.za

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident — Molly Blackburn Source: www.sahistory.org.za

Molly Blackburn was a political activist who joined the Black Sash in 1955. She later left black Sash when she felt that the group was not very active. She then joined the Pregressive Federal Party(PFP) and became the party’s provincial councilor0f Walmer, Port Elizabeth. Blackburn returned to black Sash in 1982, and immediately teamed up with fellow black Sash member Di Bishop in investigating the underhanded dealings in the police force. This made the pair very unpopular with the police and they received numerous death threats. Blackburn, was killed in a car accident near Humansdorp, Eastern Cape while driving back from Oudtshoorn to Port Elizabeth with Di Bishop and Bishop’s husband, Brian Bishop. Brian was also killed in the accident. Blackburn's death saddened thousands of people and her funeral was attended by about 20 000 people, a sign of her close relationship with the Black communities where she worked. She was 55 years old.

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01Verwey, E.J., (ed)(1995). New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.1, Pretoria: HSRC
02Simpson, JC., (2005), South Africa: She Brings Us Together, from Time Magazine, 21 June [online], Available at www.time.com [Accessed: 4 December 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, December 19). Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident . South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094439

South African History Online (2012) 'Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident ', South African History Online, 19 December. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094439 (Accessed: 28 July 2026).

South African History Online, Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094439, (accessed 28 July 2026).

"Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident ." South African History Online, 19 Dec. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094439. Accessed 28 July 2026.

South African History Online. "Molly Blackburn, political activist and civil rights campaigner is killed in a car accident ." South African History Online. December 19, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0094439.