The Seme family originated from the northern parts of what is today known as KwaZulu-Natal province in an area close to the St Lucia estuary.

[3] The Bhuloses, Seme's mother people, are part of a much larger clan, which includes the Ndelus, the Mselekus, and the Dumas.

Samuel Marsh, the founder of the American Zulu Mission at Thafamasi in Natal, while his brother Lindley was named after Rev.

Similarly, his sisters, such as Dalitha, Lucy, Sannah, and Loti, were named after prominent female members of the American Zulu Mission.

Only when he applied to study at Northfield Mount Hermon School did he change his name to Pixley, presumably in honor of Rev.

at Columbia, he enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, and was active in the university's debating society.

In 1906, his senior year at the university, he was awarded the Curtis Medal, Columbia's highest oratorical honor.

In 1911, Seme established the South African Native Farmers Association[10] to encourage farm workers to buy land in the Daggakraal area, and thus attain personal independence.

[11][13][14] Seme was also the lawyer of Queen Regent Labotsibeni of Swaziland, through whom the first ANC newspaper Abantu-Batho was financed.