About Mary Benson
Lived 1919 – 2000 (aged 80). Mary Benson was a South African journalist, writer and anti-apartheid activist.
Early life Born in 1919 in Pretoria,
She worked with Michael Scott (who, in 1946, was the first white man to be jailed for resisting South Africa's racial laws), becoming his secretary in 1950. With Scott, Benson helped to found the African Bureau. Based upon these experiences, she wrote the first general history of the ANC: The African Patriots (London: Faber & Faber, 1964). It was banned in apartheid South African upon its publication.
She appeared as a castaway on the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 16 February 1997.
Benson died on 19 June 2000.
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Important facts
People in Mary Benson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Mary Benson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Mary Benson?
South African activist and author
When was Mary Benson born?
Mary Benson was born on 8 December 1919 in Pretoria.
When did Mary Benson die?
Mary Benson died on 20 June 2000 in London.
What was Mary Benson's occupation?
Mary Benson was a journalist, writer and anti-apartheid activist.
What nationality was Mary Benson?
Mary Benson was South African.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Mary Benson (campaigner)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mary Benson. https://biography.guide/mary-benson/
MLA: "Mary Benson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mary-benson/.
Chicago: "Mary Benson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mary-benson/.
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