Desmond Tutu

Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931–2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and a leading opponent of apartheid. Ordained in 1960, he later became Bishop of Lesotho and then General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, using his pulpit and public voice to advocate nonviolent resistance and human rights. In 1984 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end apartheid. After South Africa’s democratic transition, he chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1996–1998), promoting restorative justice and national healing. Tutu served as Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996 and remained an influential moral figure worldwide.