View source for C. R. Swart

{{Short description|South African politician (1894–1982)}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-suffix    = [[Decoration for Meritorious Services|DMS]]
| name                = Charles Robberts Swart
| image               = CR Swart 1960.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 1960
| order               = 1st
| office              = State President of South Africa
| term_start          = 31 May 1961
| term_end            = 1 June 1967
| primeminister       = {{ubl|[[Hendrik Verwoerd]]|[[John Vorster|Johannes Vorster]]}}
| predecessor         = {{ubl|[[Elizabeth II]] (as [[Monarchy of South Africa|Queen of South Africa]])|Himself (as Governor-General)}}
| successor           = {{ubl|[[Tom Naudé]] (acting)|[[Jim Fouché|Jacobus Fouché]]}}
| order1              = 9th
| office1             = Governor-General of South Africa
| term_start1         = 11 December 1959
| term_end1           = 31 May 1961
| monarch1            = [[Elizabeth II]]
| primeminister1      = [[J. G. Strijdom|Johannes Strijdom]]
| predecessor1        = {{ubl|[[Ernest George Jansen]]|[[Lucas Cornelius Steyn]] (acting)}}
| successor1          = {{ubl|Lucas Cornelius Steyn (acting)|Himself (as State President)}}
| office2             = [[Minister of Justice and Correctional Services|Minister of Justice]]
| term_start2         = 4 June 1948
| term_end2           = 11 December 1959
| primeminister2      = {{ubl|[[D. F. Malan|Daniël Malan]]|Johannes Strijdom}}
| predecessor2        = [[Harry Lawrence]]
| successor2          = [[Frans Erasmus]]
| office3             = [[Minister of Education (South Africa)|Minister of Education, Arts and Science]]
| term_start3         = 1949
| term_end3           = 1950
| primeminister3      = Daniël Malan
| predecessor3        = Albert Jacobus Stals
| successor3          = [[Johannes Hendrikus Viljoen]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date|df=yes|1894|12|5}}<ref name="CBY" />
| birth_place         = [[Winburg]], [[Orange Free State]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=yes|1982|07|16|1894|12|5}}
| death_place         = [[Bloemfontein]], [[Orange Free State Province]], [[South Africa]]<ref name="Lakeland">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k2NNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VPsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3153%2C392301 Obituary: Charles Swart, ex-South African leader], ''[[Lakeland Ledger]]'', 17 July 1982</ref>
| party               = [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]]<br />[[Ossewabrandwag]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Cornelia de Klerk|2 December 1924}}
| children            = 3
| alma_mater          = [[University of the Free State]]<br>[[Columbia University]]
| occupation          = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer|journalist|actor}}
| signature           = CR Swart, handtekening, 1921.jpg
| nickname            = Blackie
}}
'''Charles Robberts Swart''' {{post-nominals|country=ZAR|DMS}} (5 December 1894 – 16 July 1982), nicknamed "Blackie",<ref name="Newsweek" /> was a South African politician who served as the last [[governor-general of the Union of South Africa]] from 1959 to 1961 and the [[State President of South Africa#List of state presidents of South Africa|first]] [[State President of South Africa|state president]] of the [[South Africa|Republic of South Africa]] from 1961 to 1967.

==Early life==

Swart was born on 5 December 1894 on the Morgenzon farm, in the [[Winburg]] district, part of the [[Boer]] republic of the [[Orange Free State]] (which became a British colony in 1902 and a province of the [[Union of South Africa]] in 1910).<ref name="CBY">[https://books.google.com/books?id=B5QYAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Charles+Robberts+Swart%22+%22Morgenzon%22 ''Current Biography Yearbook''], H. W. Wilson Company, 1960, page 420</ref>

He was the third of six children, born to Hermanus Bernardus Swart (1866–1949) and Aletta Catharina Robberts (1871–1927).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rl8nkyID3WsC&dq=%22Hermanus+Bernardus+Swart%22&pg=PA236 ''New Dictionary of South African Biography''], Volume 1, E. J. Verwey, 1995, page 236</ref> The Anglo-Boer War ([[Second Boer War]]) broke out when he was five years old. During the war, his mother and the children were interned at the [[Winburg]] concentration camp. Out of the three boys, one died while in the concentration camp. His father was wounded and captured by the British during the [[Battle of Paardeberg]]. He became a prisoner-of-war and stayed in Groenpunt and [[Simon's Town|Simonstad]] until the end of the war.<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=bks&ei=x2uqXoflBJSG1fAPnK2PoAg&q=%22tot+die+einde+van+die+oorlog+in+Groenpunt+en+Simonstad%22&oq=%22tot+die+einde+van+die+oorlog+in+Groenpunt+en+Simonstad%22&gs_l=psy-ab.3...13027.19113.0.19657.2.2.0.0.0.0.530.619.1j5-1.2.0....0...1c.1j2.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.VmOCXDENj_E ''President C.R. Swart''], Jannie Kruger, Nasionale Boekhandel Bpk, 196, page 8</ref>

Aged seven, Swart went to the government school in Winburg. He later went to a CNO (''Christelike Nasionale Onderwys'' or "Christian National Education") school, set up by the Afrikaners in response to [[Lord Milner]]'s anglicisation policy at the government-sponsored schools.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=XdFtAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Christelike+Nasionale+Onderwys%22+1907 ''The Jews in South Africa: A History''], Gustav Saron, Louis Hotz, Oxford University Press, 1955, page 219</ref>

He established himself as a [[barrister]] in 1914. He spent a brief period in [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] acting in silent films, before embarking on his public career. He practised law in Bloemfontein from 1919&ndash;1948, with the exception of the time spent earning a degree in journalism from [[Columbia University]] in New York in 1921–22. He reported briefly from Washington for the ''[[Die Burger]]'' newspaper.<ref name="Lakeland" />

He was married to Cornelia Wilhelmina (Nellie) de Klerk and had three children. He was a tall man at {{convert|200|cm|ftin}}.

==Public life==

In 1923, he was elected to the [[House of Assembly of South Africa|House of Assembly]] as the Member of Parliament for [[Ladybrand]].<ref name="CBY" /> until he was defeated in 1938. Swart was a member of the [[Ossewabrandwag]]. He became leader of the [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] in the [[Orange Free State]] and MP for [[Winburg]] in 1941.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PqwwAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Charles+Robberts+Swart%22+%22Ladybrand%22+%221923%22 ''The South African Opposition, 1935-1945: An Essay in Contemporary History''], Michael Roberts, A. E. G. Trollip
Longmans, Green, 1947, page 214</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=e3F0AAAAMAAJ&q=%22Charles+Robberts+Swart%22+%22republican%22 ''The Tragedy of Apartheid: A Journalist's Experiences in the South African Riots''], Norman Charles Phillips, D. McKay Company, 1960, page 155</ref> After the end of the Second World War, he was appointed Minister of Justice when the [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] came to power in 1948, and was responsible for legislation to strengthen the powers of the [[South African Police]] to suppress anti-apartheid activity.<ref name="Thompson" /> Between 1949 and 1950 he held the portfolio for Education, Arts and Science and served as Deputy Prime Minister between 1954 and 1959.<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=bks&ei=TWGqXpXlAYmg1fAPsr2C2AQ&q=%22He+has+also+been+Minister+of+Education%2C+Arts+and+Science+%28I949-50%29%22&oq=%22He+has+also+been+Minister+of+Education%2C+Arts+and+Science+%28I949-50%29%22&gs_l=psy-ab.3...56547.56547.0.58224.1.1.0.0.0.0.112.112.0j1.1.0....0...1c.2.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.DLrFSr74PIY ''Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa''], Cape Town, Volume 9, page 90</ref>

In 1959, Swart was appointed Governor-General, but like his predecessor [[Ernest George Jansen]], he was a staunch republican.<ref name="Thompson">[https://books.google.com/books?id=gk8FAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Charles+Robberts+Swart%22+%22republican%22 ''Politics in the Republic of South Africa''], Leonard Monteath Thompson, Little, Brown, 196, page 60</ref> Despite this, he had earlier kneeled before Queen [[Elizabeth II]] and kissed her hand.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/newleadersofafri0000unse <!-- quote="Swart kneeled before Queen Elizabeth in December 1959 and kissed her hand as the newly-appointed governor-general"". --> ''The New Leaders of Africa''], Rolf Italiaander, Prentice-Hall, 1961, page 119</ref> In a [[1960 South African republic referendum|referendum]] the following year, a small majority of White voters endorsed a government proposal to become a republic. In 1961, after signing the new republican constitution passed by Parliament into law, he asked the Queen to release him from office, and Parliament then elected him as State President, the new post which replaced the monarch and the Governor-General as ceremonial head of state.<ref name="Peterson 1975 p.84 ">{{cite book | last=Peterson | first=R.W. | title=South Africa & Apartheid | publisher=Facts on File | series=A Facts on File publication | year=1975 | isbn=978-0-87196-186-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wM5yAAAAMAAJ | access-date=2021-08-30 | page=84}}</ref> [[Nelson Mandela]] and other underground Black resistance leaders tried to protest against the change to the new system by planning a three-day [[general strike]] of non-White workers, but the government preemptively averted most of these plans through an extensive use of police force to persecute the dissenters.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120914063045/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,938112,00.html "A War Won"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', 9 June 1961</ref>

Although elected for a seven-year term in office, Swart served as state president for only six years, and retired in 1967. After his retirement, Swart was awarded the [[Decoration for Meritorious Services]] by State President [[Jim Fouché]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/charles-robberts-blackie-swart|title=Charles Robberts (Blackie) Swart|date=23 August 2019|work=South African History Online|access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref> He died on 16 July 1982, aged 87. Swart was popularly known as "Blackie" (''Swart'' is [[Afrikaans]] for "black")<ref name="Newsweek">[https://books.google.com/books?id=slN4CUzVuZAC&q=%22Charles+Robberts+Swart%22+%22Blackie%22 "Blackie and the Blacks"], ''[[Newsweek]]'', 1961, Volume 57, Part 2, page 46</ref> or as "Oom Blackie", ''oom'' being Afrikaans for "uncle", but used as a sign of respect towards an older male.<ref name="Meredith 2002 p.36 ">{{cite book | last=Meredith | first=M. | title=Fischer's Choice: A Life of Bram Fischer | publisher=Jonathan Ball | year=2002 | isbn=978-1-86842-131-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jYcFAQAAIAAJ | language=nl | access-date=2021-08-30 | page=36}}</ref>

==Legacy==

The tallest building in [[Bloemfontein]], which housed various governmental departments and the Law Faculty of the University of the Orange Free State, was named the President CR Swart Building in his honour.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enGB842GB842&biw=1357&bih=624&tbm=bks&ei=PHCqXqDNJtbS1fAPmfqTsAM&q=%22The+President+C+R+Swart+Building+houses+the+Law+Faculty+of+the+University+of+the+Orange+Free+State.+The+building+was+named+after+Dr+C+R+Swart%2C+a+former+State+President+of+the+Republic+of+South+Africa+and+chancellor+of+this+university%22&oq=%22The+President+C+R+Swart+Building+houses+the+Law+Faculty+of+the+University+of+the+Orange+Free+State.+The+building+was+named+after+Dr+C+R+Swart%2C+a+former+State+President+of+the+Republic+of+South+Africa+and+chancellor+of+this+university%22&gs_l=psy-ab.3...25369.31415.0.34653.3.3.0.0.0.0.79.144.2.2.0....0...1c.1j2.64.psy-ab..1.0.0....0.EfYnuYdYKEg ''Our Legal Heritage''], Susanna Johanna Scott, Paul Van Warmelo, Butterworths, 1982, page 174</ref> In 2015, the ANC government renamed the popular CR Swart Building the [[List of things named after Fidel Castro|Fidel Castro Building]].<ref>[http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Bloemfonteins-Fidel-Castro-building-gets-mixed-response-20150702 Bloemfontein's Fidel Castro building gets mixed response], [[News24 (website)|News24]], 7 February 2015</ref>

A statue of CR Swart at the [[University of the Free State]] was destroyed by protesting students in late-February 2016.<ref name="statue24">{{cite web | url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/cr-swart-statue-has-fallen-20160223 | title=CR Swart statue has fallen | publisher=News24 | date=23 February 2016 | access-date=25 February 2016 | author=Iavan Pijoos | archive-date=24 February 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224114107/http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/cr-swart-statue-has-fallen-20160223 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The highest peak in the remote [[Prince Edward Islands]] was called State President Swart Peak, before it was renamed Mascarin Peak in 2003.<ref name="Jenkins 2007 p. 57">{{cite book | last=Jenkins | first=E. | title=Falling Into Place: The Story of Modern South African Place Names | publisher=David Philip | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-86486-689-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RZnXHoMQ_hkC&pg=PP57 | access-date=2021-08-30 | page=57}}</ref>

Swart's portrait is depicted on the obverses of the [[coins of the South African rand]] &ndash; from 1 to 50 Cents dated 1968, which was struck to commemorate him as the first [[State President of South Africa]].<ref>[https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces7982.html 50 Cents Charles Swart; Afrikaans Legend - SUID AFRIKA]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
Generally: 
*{{cite encyclopaedia
|last=Schirmer
|first=Peter
|title=Swart, Charles Robberts
|encyclopaedia=Die Beknopte Geïlustreerde Ensiklopedie van Suid-Afrika
|pages=182
|publisher=Central News Agency
|location=Johannesburg
|date=1981
}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Lucas Cornelius Steyn]]}}
{{s-ttl|title =[[Governor-General of South Africa]]
       |years =1959–1961}}
{{s-non|reason=Position abolished<br/>'''South Africa became a republic'''&nbsp;}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Elizabeth II]] <br> [[Queen of South Africa]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[State President of South Africa]]
       |years=1961–1967}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Tom Naudé]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{South Africa GG}}
{{SouthAfricaJusticeMinisters}}
{{SAPresidents}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swart, Charles Roberts}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:Afrikaner people]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Apartheid government]]
[[Category:Afrikaner Broederbond members]]
[[Category:University of the Free State alumni]]
[[Category:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni]]
[[Category:Ministers of education of South Africa]]
[[Category:Governors-general of South Africa]]
[[Category:Herenigde Nasionale Party politicians]]
[[Category:Justice ministers of South Africa]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Assembly (South Africa)]]
[[Category:National Party (South Africa) politicians]]
[[Category:People from Masilonyana Local Municipality]]
[[Category:Purified National Party politicians]]
[[Category:South African people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:State presidents of South Africa]]
[[Category:South African prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:20th-century presidents in Africa]]
[[Category:Ossewabrandwag members]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the British military]]