Key events in Ernest Mancoba's life

1900 - 1910		Boer War. Bambatha Rebellion. Union of South Africa.
1904		Ernest Mancoba born in Turffontein on 29th August. He then moved to a location in Boksburg near the Comet Gold Mine. Here he received the name Ngungunyane by a Shangaan mine worker. He also received a ceramic cup by a Chinese worker.
1910 - 1920		Formation of the ANC. Natives Land Act. World War 1 . Sinking of the Mendi. Ernest Mancoba attended school, and was taught the values of Ubuntu by his mother. He grew up watching Charlie Chaplin Films and playing on the scaffolding of the mines. During this time his uncle formed the Independent African Church in Middleburg.
1920’s		Workers Revolution on the Rand
1929		Sculpted Bantu Madonna out of yellowwood
1930’s		Marks the 'Magnificent Generation'. Hertzog Bills. All African Convention and Outbreak of World War 2.
1930		Received a bursary to study at Fort Hare University
1931		Matriculated from South African Native College
1932		Started his Bachelor of Arts
1933		Became the Chairperson of the debating society
1934		South African Academy Exhibition - Johannesburg
1935		Awarded first prize in an Art Exhibition hosted by the University of Fort Hare. Participates in the All African Convention in Bloemfontein, leaves Fort Hare completes sculpture commissions for the church in Grahamstown decides to be an artist.
1936		Takes up a job as a caretaker in District 6. Met Irma Stern, Jane and Goolam Gool. Met Lippy Lipschitz who introduced him to the book “Primitive Negro Sculpture” (This led Ernest Mancoba to travel to Europe to further his work as an artist).
1937		Taught English at the Khaiso Secondary School in Pietersburg and completes his degree through correspondence in order to be eligible for a bursary to study art further.
1938		Granted a bursary to continue his studies in Paris. Enrolled at Ecole Nationale Superieue Arts Decoratifs de Paris.
1940’s		World War 2 ends, Apartheid becomes official in South Africa.
1940		First paint “Composition”, taken prisoner and sent to an internment camp, St Denis.
1942		Married Sonja Ferlov
1944		Liberated from Camp
1946		Birth of son, Wonga
1947		Went to Denmark, inspired by Danish fresco paintings
1948		Invited to exhibit in Host Exhibition in Copenhagen. CoBrA formed.
1949		Takes part in CoBrA exhibition
1950’s		Defiance Campaign in South Africa, anti-colonisation movement amongst students in France led by inter-alia Cheikh Anta Diop
1950		Becomes a member of CoBrA
1951		CoBrA disbands
1952		Moves back to France to a village just west of Paris
1953		Contribution to the Journal Musee Vivant edited bu Madeleine Roussouw and Cheikh Anta Diop
1960’s		Republic of South Africa formed. Repression intensifies Banning of Liberation movements, Sharpeville: decolonisation of many African Countries
1960		Returned to Paris
1961		Becomes a French Citizen
1962		Published an article for Danish Journal
1969		Exhibited in two Galleries in Denmark
1970’s		Durban Strikes; Soweto Schools protest
1977		Troels Anderson helped to arrange Mancoba’s first touring exhibition in Denmark
1980’s		Stuggle intensifies in South Africa
1984		Sonja Ferlov passed away
1986		First lithographs displayed in Copenhagen
1989		Received the Egill Jacobsen award
1990’s		Beginning of Democracy in South Africa, Breaking of the Berlin Wall
1994		Honorary doctorate from the University of the Western Cape. Mancoba reunited with members of that Magnificent Generation: Govan Mbeki; Jane Gool; Nimrod Ndebele; Thomas Masakela. Hand in Hand retrospective exhibition in Johannesburg Documentary: “Ernest Mancoba at home”
1995		Attended Thomas Masakela’s funeral. Hand in Hand retrospective exhibition at the National Gallery in Cape Town.
1995- 1997		Received the Lee Krasner Award from Pollock – Krasner Foundation
1996		Honorary Degree given from the University of Fort Hare
2000		A new century
2002		Mancoba passed away ( 25th October)

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