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eventREF E-0086263Revised

Event record

Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies

Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies

Date
28 Jun 2011
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies

Artist, Ronald Harrison caused controversy in 1962 when he painted African National Congress (ANC) leader, Albert Luthuli as Jesus. The painting, named Black Christ, depicts Luthuli crucified on the cross next to apartheid mastermind Hendrick Verwoed and former Minister of Justice John Vorster, who are depicted as Roman Soldiers. The painting not only challenged the apartheid system, but also the notion that Jesus was white. Harrison was arrested and the painting banned. The painting was smuggled to the United Kingdom and was only returned in 1997. Harrison died of cancer on 28 June 2011, just before he was to exhibit his latest work. Black Christ remains his most famous work. The painting is now housed at the South African National Gallery.

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How we know this

  1. 01RFK in the land of Apartheid., 'The Black Christ', from rfksafilm, [online] Available at https://rfksafilm.org [Accessed: 28 May 2011]
  2. 02Lockwood S. 2007., 'Black Christ in the fray', from iol, [online] News March 4 2007 Available at www.iol.co.za [Accessed: 28 May 2012]
  3. 03Artist Ronald Harrison dies, 'The Black Christ', from Artlyst, [online] Available at www.artlyst.com [Accessed: 18 June 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, June 20). Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0086263

South African History Online (2012) 'Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies', South African History Online, 20 June. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0086263 (Accessed: 7 August 2026).

South African History Online, Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0086263, (accessed 7 August 2026).

"Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies." South African History Online, 20 June 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0086263. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Controversial ‘Black Jesus’ painter, Ronald Harrison, dies." South African History Online. June 20, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0086263.

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