Mark Mathabane came into the world on October 18, 1960, in the heart of Alexandra, a vibrant yet impoverished black township skirting Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents bestowed upon him the Afrikaans name Johannes and a tribal moniker, Thanyani, meaning "the wise one." His childhood unfolded in a stark two-room shack, unheated and meager, where he and his siblings huddled under a kitchen table, their beds fashioned from layers of newspaper and cardboard. Electricity, running water, and sanitation were distant luxuries. The family braved biting cold and gnawing hunger, living under the looming shadow of relentless police raids, instruments of the apartheid regime’s oppressive segregation and cruelty. At the tender age of five, Mark was entrusted with watching over his younger siblings in his parents' absence, a duty that propelled him into the streets of the ghetto in search of food and distraction. Sadly, sustenance was a rare find, while the perils of boredom loomed large. It was his sharp mind and athletic prowess that carved a path to survival. During the turmoil of the 1976 Soweto riots, he adopted the name Mark Mathabane, later adding Pierre, to mask his identity from the vigilant white authorities of South Africa.

By 1978, the winds of fortune began to shift, as Wimbledon champion Stan Smith opened a door for Mathabane with a tennis scholarship to Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. His academic journey took him next to St. Louis University, Missouri, and then to Quincy College, Illinois, culminating in his graduation from Dowling College, New York, in 1983. Deeply moved by the autobiographical works of Richard Wright and Claude Brown, Mathabane embarked on crafting his own narrative. In 1986, Macmillan published Kaffir Boy, catapulting it to bestseller status by 1989 with over two hundred thousand copies sold. The book’s translation into seven languages cemented Mathabane’s legacy as both a writer and a fervent humanist. His accolades include the 1986 Christopher Award and a prestigious White House Fellowship from 1996 to 1997, where he played a pivotal role in shaping President Clinton's education policies. As the keynote speaker for the 2001 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Award, Mathabane's voice resonated far and wide. His fifth book, Miriam's Song, earned a place on the 2001 Alan Paton Award shortlist.

Over the years, Mathabane has authored five compelling nonfiction works. Kaffir Boy unveils the saga of his first eighteen years under the harsh grip of apartheid. Kaffir Boy in America chronicles his collegiate days and the dawn of his writing journey. In collaboration with his Caucasian wife, Gail, he co-authored Love in Black and White, a narrative exploring their friendship, courtship, and eventual marriage. African Women offers first-person tales from his grandmother, mother, and sister Florah, depicting their lives amid the apartheid regime. Meanwhile, Miriam's Song captures his sister Miriam's poignant coming-of-age story within the confines of Alexandra, South Africa.

Mathabane's digital presence is marked by a comprehensive web page at http://www.mathabane.com/index.html, teeming with riveting speeches, essays, prefaces, and first chapters of his books. Among these are three captivating novels: Ubuntu, The Last Liberal, and Deadly Memory. He also serves as the director of multicultural education at the Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon.