The January 11 Google
Doodle paid tribute to South African author and
anti-apartheid activist, Alan Paton ¡V commemorating his
115th birthday. South African writer Alan
Paton, author of the classic South African novel
Cry, The Beloved Country was born on 11 January
1903. Google celebrated the life and work of the author
with a commemorative Doodle on the search engine's
homepage.
The Doodle depicted Paton looking out on the South
African countryside during a train journey that many
believe was the moment the idea for his most famous work
was first conceived. Paton worked as a teacher and later
as the headmaster of the Diepkloof prison for young
black offenders where he took note of the effects of
racial discrimination on South African youth.
Through a number of his own progressive educational and
social programmes at the facility, Paton hoped to reduce
the suffering of prisoners, some as young as nine, and
help them re-enter society on a better footing than most
had arrived.
Google, in a statement on the unveiling of the Doodle,
hoped that highlighting Paton and his works on such a
ubiquitous portal for many young people using the
Internet, his life story would reach new audiences.
Other notable South Africans who have featured on Google
Doodles in the past include Nadine Gordimer, Nelson
Mandela and Steve Biko. ¡V Source:
www.brandsouthafrica.com |