John Knox Bokwe

John Knox Bokwe
John Knox Bokwe in approx 1914
Born	(1855-03-15)15 March 1855 Ntselamanzi, Lovedale, South Africa
Died	22 February 1922(1922-02-22) (aged 66) Ntselamanzi
Other names	Mdengentonga
Occupation	Journalist, minister, music composer

John Knox Bokwe (15 March 1855 – 22 February 1922) was a South African journalist, Presbyterian minister and one of the most celebrated Xhosa hymn writers and musician. He is best known for his compositions Vuka Deborah, Plea for Africa, and Marriage Song.

As a young boy, Bokwe ran errands and worked for Dr. James Stewart's family. It was also in their house that he learnt to play the organ and the piano. In the same year Dr. Stewart took him into the general office of the Lovedale Mission as messenger, and later as his secretary, a post he filled until he left Lovedale in 1897. Meanwhile, in 1869, he was admitted into the mission's college department, where he was to remain until 1872.

As an established writer, he joined John Tengo Jabavu in producing the newspaper Imvo Zabantsundu ("African Opinion") in King Williams Town. He played a role in the foundation in 1916 of what is now the University of Fort Hare (originally the South African Native College) in South-Eastern Cape Province.

John Knox Bokwe was born in Ntselamanzi near Lovedale, southeastern Cape Province and was the youngest child of Cholwephi and Lena Bokwe. His father was one of the first students to be enrolled at the Lovedale Mission school, while his mother was daughter of Nxe, one of the first converts of Ntsikana.

Bokwe first went to school at the age of eight or nine, and was taught by William Kobe Ntsikana, grandson of the prophet Ntsikana. In 1867, when he was twelve, he encountered the Stewart family with which he was to become closely associated. It was also in their house that he learnt to play the organ and the piano. In 1866 he was admitted to the preparatory classes at the Lovedale Institution. He continued on to the college in 1869 and finished his schooling four years later.

Bokwe met a young girl, Lettie Ncheni, who was also employed in the Stewart household. She worked there from 1868 to 1873 while attending night classes and from 1871 attended as a day scholar. The two got married in 1878 when Lettie returned from Scotland where she had accompanied Mrs. Stewart for three years.

Dr. Stewart took him into the general office of the Lovedale Mission as messenger in 1867, and later as his secretary. In 1869, he was admitted into the mission's college department. During this time, his love for reading and writing was kindled. As a student, Bokwe was active in the literary society, of which he became chairman.