Michael NaickerEducator and author Michael Naicker will discuss his journey from Africa to Windsor in a free public presentation Wednesday.

Educator and author chronicles immigrant life

The Humanities Research Group (HRG) welcomes educator and author Michael Naicker to the downtown campus on Wednesday, Oct. 18, to relate his journey from Africa to Windsor.

The author of African Sons: The Zululander, Naicker will detail his autobiography from the sacrifices his ancestors made in crossing into Africa through the dark days of apartheid to growing up as an Indian in a racially segregated society, all of which set the stage for his evolution as an educator to his own modern day political action and voyage of discovery.

Naicker was born in South Africa and grew up in Zululand. He was active in the teacher unions in South Africa. These activities led to his involvement in the amalgamation of all teacher unions into one non-racial teacher union in South Africa. This early involvement led to a natural transition into municipal politics.

Naicker and his family have made Windsor their home since 2005. Currently a vice-principal in a Windsor school, Naicker has been in education for more than 27 years, with a teaching career that has taken him all over Africa, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

This event, co-sponsored by Assumption University, is free and open to the public. It will begin at 5 p.m. in the SoCA Armouries Performance Hall, 37 University Ave. East. Copies of Naicker’s book African Sons: The Zululander will be available for purchase.

—Susan McKee