Edward (Eddie) Roux was born 24.4.1903 in Johannesburg. He died on 2.3.1966. Eddie was a plant physiologist, chemist and political agitator. He was the eldest of 6 children born to Phillip R. Roux, a pharmacist and wife, Edith May Wilson.

Roux went to Jeppe High. He went onto Wits University where he obtained a B.S.c in botany and zoology in 1924. It was during 1929 that he obtained a Ph. D. at Cambridge. It was at this time that he became involved in communist activities. He began to organize Black workers in Durban, when Oswald Pirow, (Minister of Justice) banned him from the city.

In 1936 he resigned from the Communist Party. In 1946 he became senior lecturer in plant physiology at Wits. In 1957 he joined the Liberal Party, he was already chairman of the South African Rationalist Association. In 1962 he was promoted to Prof of botany.

In 1964 he was banned from entering or lecturing at any educational institution or publish any papers. His most important works are: "Rebel Pity", "Time longer than rope", "A history of the black man's struggle for freedom in S.A.", "Harvest & health in Africa", "The how & why of science". He also wrote numerous scientific papers.