Google Doodle pays tribute to Alan Paton
GOOGLE celebrated what would have been the 115th birthday of South African author Alan Paton yesterday by creating a Google Doodle in his honour.
A Google Doodle is a special‚ alternative logo on the Google homepage to commemorate people‚ holidays‚ events or achievements.
Google said the Doodle depicted Paton on a train ride during which he reputedly gained inspiration to write his famous novel Cr y‚ the Beloved Country.
The internet search engine company described Paton as a visionary who did much to fight for basic human principles of love‚ non-violence‚ and equality.
Cry‚ the Beloved Country was first published in 1948.
“Ironically [it was] the very year in which apartheid was formally institutionalised‚ beginning four decades of racial segregation in South Africa‚” Google said.
According to South African History Online‚ by 1988 the novel had sold more than 15 million copies.
Paton was born on January 11 1903 in Pietermaritzburg.
He studied at the University of Natal and became a teacher.
In 1935 he became principal of Diepkloof Reformatory for Young Offenders, where he introduced progressive reforms. “[The book] is a moving tale of racial injustice‚ human suffering‚ and redemption‚ as two fathers come to terms with the loss of their sons – one an accidental murderer and the other‚ his unfortunate victim‚” Google said.
In 1953, Paton helped form the Liberal Party, which opposed apartheid and was elected party leader in 1955.
He died on April 12 1988.