Trevor's Parents: Lawbreakers Or Victims Of Circumstance?

Trevor Noah's parents, Patricia and Robert Noah, broke the law during the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa. Their union was illegal at the time as Patricia is Black and Robert is White. Trevor's very existence was a crime, as he was born into a mixed-race family. Patricia was jailed multiple times for her relationship with Robert, and the family faced challenges, including abuse, alcoholism, violence, racism, and poverty. Despite the obstacles, Patricia and Robert remained united for Trevor, providing a stable environment for him.

Patricia and Robert Noah's interracial relationship

At the time of Trevor's birth in 1984, their relationship was illegal, and Trevor's very existence was a crime. Patricia and Robert faced numerous challenges, including abuse, alcoholism, violence, racism, estrangement, and poverty. Despite these obstacles, they remained united for Trevor's sake, even though they never married. Patricia, in particular, is credited by Trevor for her unwavering determination to fight for their family despite the hardships they endured.

Due to the challenges posed by their interracial relationship during the tumultuous era of apartheid, Patricia and Robert eventually went their separate ways. Robert moved to Cape Town, and they lost touch with Trevor for many years. However, their relationship and Patricia's courage in the face of adversity had a profound impact on Trevor's understanding of racial inequality and his ability to address important social issues through humour.

Apartheid laws

Trevor Noah's parents, Patricia and Robert Noah, broke the law by being a mixed-race couple during the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa. Apartheid laws prohibited interracial relationships, making their union illegal. Patricia, a Black woman, and Robert, a White man, first met as neighbours in an apartment building in Johannesburg. Despite the laws and social taboos against interracial relationships, they fell in love and had a child together—Trevor.

One of the key aspects of apartheid was the Group Areas Act, which designated certain geographical areas for exclusive use by specific racial groups. This law effectively segregated neighbourhoods and restricted where non-White people could live, own property, or operate businesses. The Pass Laws were another set of apartheid laws that required non-White people to carry documents authorising their presence in certain areas. These laws severely limited the freedom of movement for non-White individuals and were used to control labour and enforce segregation.

Another set of laws, the Population Registration Act and the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, formed the legal basis for the racial classification system and prohibited interracial marriages, respectively. These laws contributed to the social stigma and legal consequences faced by mixed-race couples like Trevor's parents. The apartheid regime also implemented separate political systems for different racial groups, with Whites having exclusive voting rights and representation in the government.

The apartheid laws had a profound impact on the lives of South Africans, creating a society characterised by racial inequality, injustice, and violence. Trevor's parents, by being together and having a child, defied these laws and challenged the racist ideology that underpinned the apartheid system. Their relationship and Trevor's birth symbolised a form of resistance and a rejection of the discriminatory laws that sought to divide people along racial lines.

Patricia's imprisonment

Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, born on September 24, 1964, was jailed for having a relationship with Robert Noah, a white man, during apartheid in South Africa. Patricia is the mother of Trevor Noah, who describes his birth as a "crime" due to the laws prohibiting interracial relationships at the time.

Apart from imprisonment, Patricia also faced other challenges due to the apartheid laws. She had to disguise herself as a maid and carry her ID at all times to avoid fines or jail time when caught in white-only areas. Despite the risks and difficulties, Patricia remained committed to her relationship with Robert and fought to protect their family.

Patricia's illegal residence in Johannesburg

Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, born on September 24, 1964, is a member of the Xhosa ethnic group in South Africa. She first met Robert Noah, Trevor's father, while living in the same apartment building in downtown Johannesburg. Patricia, a Black woman, was secretly living in a flat owned by a White man, and Robert, a Swiss-German restaurateur, was residing across the hall. For more than 30 years, South Africa had been living under apartheid, which meant that their friendship was a crime and illegal.

Patricia ran away from her mother's place in Soweto when she was 22 years old. She moved to downtown Johannesburg, where it was illegal for Black people to live. She dressed up in a maid's uniform to avoid drawing attention to herself and always carried her ID number, which allowed Black people to enter the city for work. When Patricia was caught without her ID or in a White-only area, she was forced to pay a fine or face jail time.

Despite the challenges and risks of having a mixed-race child under apartheid laws, Patricia decided she wanted to have a child. She negotiated with Robert, and eventually, he agreed to help her. Trevor was born on February 20, 1984, at Hillbrow Hospital. Patricia was alone in the operating room, having been estranged from her relatives and pregnant with a White man's baby. In his 2016 memoir, Born a Crime, Trevor wrote that his very existence was a crime.

Patricia and Robert's relationship was illegal under the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa, and they eventually went their separate ways. Patricia remained a constant and unwavering pillar of support in Trevor's life, navigating the complexities of raising a mixed-race child in a racially divided and turbulent environment. She shielded him from the harsh realities of apartheid while instilling in him the values of empathy, compassion, and perseverance.

Robert's restaurant license

Trevor Noah's father, Robert Noah, was a Swiss-German restaurateur who moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, in the late 1970s. Prior to this move, Robert had worked as a chef in Montreal and New York and had opened a handful of bars and restaurants.

In Johannesburg, Robert obtained a special license that allowed him to operate one of the city's first racially integrated restaurants under apartheid. This license was difficult to obtain, but Robert was committed to creating an inclusive space where people of all races could come together.

The restaurant, a steakhouse, was an immediate success. In his book, "Born a Crime," Trevor Noah wrote:

> "Black people came because there were few upscale establishments where they could eat, and they wanted to come and sit in a nice restaurant and see what that was like. White people came because they wanted to see what it was like to sit with black people."

The restaurant had a vibrant and unique atmosphere because it brought people together across racial lines, which was rare and groundbreaking in the context of apartheid South Africa.

Robert's decision to open an integrated restaurant was not without risk. At the time, apartheid laws strictly enforced racial segregation in public spaces, and interracial relationships, such as the one between Robert and Trevor's mother, Patricia, were illegal. By obtaining a license to operate an integrated restaurant, Robert was challenging these discriminatory laws and putting himself at potential risk. However, his commitment to inclusivity and creating a space for people of all races to come together ultimately contributed to the success of his restaurant and made a powerful statement against the injustices of apartheid.

Frequently asked questions