The New African

H.I.E. Dhlomo (1903-1956) was the first major black playwright in South Africa. His plays on Shaka, Moshoeshoe, Dingane and Cetshwayo, written in the 1930s, were pioneering works in South African drama. Dhlomo was also a prolific poet, and is probably best known for his epic poem Valley of a Thousand Hills, published in 1941. He was a major influence on black journalism and played an important behind-the-scenes role in the founding of the A.N.C. Youth League and other organisations.