Welcome to the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Digital Archive

The digital archives span Desmond Tutu’s life and legacy, from his birth on 7 October 1931 to his passing on 26 December 2021 – and his heirloom as a touchstone for humanity.

Formative Life

Family, childhood, schooling, teacher training, marriage, brief teaching career.

Servant of the Church

Evolution of a church, anti-apartheid struggle and human leader… voice of the voiceless and emerging moral conscience of the world.

Pastor of the Nation

Leader of post-apartheid South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Advocate, Elder and Icon

The final period of his life; a 20-year post-retirement career in which he sought to use his influence to steer the world away from greed, inequality, prejudice and environmental calamity.

Cross-Period

Subject matter spanning multiple periods and themes, such as his 66-year love affair with Mrs Nomalizo Leah Tutu.

Explore digital exhibits and a timeline created to highlight key moments in the life and work of Archbishop Tutu. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest news stories and activities of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust. 

Browse the Exhibit

Explore our digital exhibit looking at Archbishop Desmond Tutu's role in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Explore the Timeline

Trace some of the key moments in the life and work of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

In His Own Words

Over the years Archbishop Tutu’s pastoral work became virtually uncontainable. He became a global touchstone for morality and human integrity. Because he could not physically attend every event that reached out for his blessing, he recorded hundreds of messages and sent them around the world.

News

Latest news from the activities of the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust.

 

Content in the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Digital Archive was harvested from the Archbishop's personal records, and his office. Many of the materials were created by the Archbishop, himself. The archive also includes materials produced by third parties which have been donated to the Archbishop. These materials contribute significantly to the telling of the Archbishop’s life story.

In instances where information about authorship of a work in the collection is available, it has been firmly associated with the relevant work.

With regards to works in which third parties may potentially own rights, the Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust has, where reasonably possible, attempted to secure affirmative permissions from the relevant right holders. Where the creators of materials in the Archbishop’s collection could not be traced, the origin of the works have clearly been marked on the digital platform as unknown.

Although the Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust may not always have the full information about the copyright holder of works in the collection, the Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust wants to be able to share these valuable materials responsibly, as they hold historic and cultural value. If you have more information about an item or can identify a copyright owner and/or author, please contact us

Contact details: admin@tutuiptrust.org