Keorapetse William Kgositsile is a South African poet and political activist, and was an influential member of the Africa National Congress. He lived in exile in the United States from 1962 until 1975. Kgositsile made extensive study of African - American literature and culture. He was one of the first to bridge the gap between African poetry and Black poetry in the United States, and one of the most significant poets in the Pan-African movement. He is South AfricaÕs Poet Laureate.