Honours
Recognised on four continents
The honours below are held and displayed at the house-museum in Glenwood.
1975
Men of AchievementCambridge
1986
International Platform AssociationMembership certified by the Board of Governors, United States
1988
Commendation, Lieutenant Governor of CaliforniaUnited States
1993
Poet Laureate of AfricaUNESCO
1993
Resolution of the City of Los AngelesWith commendations from the County of Los Angeles, 1993 and 2007, and a Congressional Certificate of Commendation
1996
PanSALB Council appointmentPan South African Language Board
2000
Honorary DoctorateUniversity of Natal
2005
South African Poet Laureate PrizeInaugural recipient
2005
National Living Treasure · M-Net Lifetime AchievementIcons of Democracy, eThekwini Mayoral Awards
2007
President's Award, in memoriamUCLA Black Alumni Association
2008
National Heritage AwardSouth Africa
2016
SADTU honourSouth African Democratic Teachers Union
South Ridge Road became Mazisi Kunene Road, and King George V Avenue became Mazisi Kunene Avenue, Durban.
2022
A global Google Doodle
On 12 May 2022 Google placed Professor Kunene on its homepage around the world.
Accolade highlight · United States · 1986
The International Platform Association
In its 156th year, the Board of Governors and Membership Committee of the International Platform Association certified the invitation of Mazisi Kunene to membership. The certificate is signed by Jack Anderson, President and Membership Chairman, and Dan Tyler Moore, Board Chairman.
The Association traces to the American Lyceum Association, founded in 1831 by Daniel Webster, and is one of the oldest public-speaking bodies in the United States. The 1986 membership committee included:
Glenn T. SeaborgNobel laureate in Chemistry
Malcolm S. Forbes Jr.Editor-in-chief of Forbes
Jack AndersonPulitzer Prize-winning columnist
Hal HolbrookTony- and Emmy-winning actor
Victor BorgePianist
Claude PepperUS Senator and Congressman
Adm. Stansfield TurnerDirector of Central Intelligence
Henry HeimlichSurgeon
