Joel Cabrita tells the story of Zionism, which began in a utopian community near Chicago in 1900. Its faith-healing spiritualism, uplifting pan-racialism, and missionary zeal resonated with marginalized urban working-class whites and blacks in both the United States and Southern Africa. Today Zionism is Southern Africa's largest religious movement.
Focusing on a significant African church in South Africa, the narrative explores its growth and impact within the community. It delves into the church's cultural and social influence, highlighting its role in shaping the lives of its members and the broader society. Through personal stories and historical context, the book reveals the church's contributions to spirituality, community cohesion, and resilience in the face of challenges.
This biography of Twala, an unjustly neglected Black African literary figure in apartheid South Africa and colonial Swaziland (now Eswatini), shows that her posthumous obscurity has been no accident.