N.P. van Wyk Louw is born

Renowned South African author, Nicolaas Petrus (N.P.) van Wyk Louw, Afrikaans poet, dramatist and essayist, was born in Sutherland, Karoo.  He was second in line of four brothers, the youngest of which was the poet W.E.G. Louw. N.P. van Wyk Louw received various literary prizes. His best-known work is his epic poem Raka, recounting a black hero's desperate struggle against a nightmarish beast to save his people's heritage of language and art. President Mbeki bestowed The Order of Ikhamanga in Gold for exceptional contribution in literature and advocacy of language rights for the African languages, posthumously on him on 27 September 2005.