He fought against the separation between black and whites, called apartheid the afrikaans term for separateness. Editor of a leading antiapartheid paper, donald woods was a friend of steve biko and went into exile in order to write his testimony about the life and work of a remarkable man. So as a prelude whites must be made to realise that they are only human, not superior. Biko was killed in 1977, a full 12 years before mandela was released from prison. Steve biko 194678 is regarded as the father of the black consciousness movement in south africa and a key figure in bringing about the end of apartheid. She was a partner of antiapartheid activist steve biko, with whom she had two children. In february 1973, the south african apartheid government banned biko. Steve biko, 5 books donald woods, 3 books jon blair, 2 books lindy wilson, 2 books john briley, 2 books hilda bernstein, 1 book sanders, mark, 1 book chris van wyk, 1 book mark sanders, 1 book julie k. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. A son, hlumelo, was born to ramphele in 1978, after biko s death. His mother ramphele was five months pregnant with him when she learned that steve biko, with whom she was having an affair, had been killed in police custody. In all bikos work and statements, the frantz fanon influence can be detected. Remembering steve biko, 37 years on sunday times books live. Steve biko wafula poems poems of steve biko wafula poem hunter.
His childhood experiences and character, lead him to become a powerful leader. You are either alive and proud or you are dead, and when you are dead, you cant care anyway. Bantu stephen biko was born in king williamstown, cape province, south africa, on december 18, 1946. Bantu stephen biko was born in king williamstown, cape province, south africa, on december 18. The greatest weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Biko was born in ginsberg township now called the eastern cape province of south africa. Donald woods was forced into exile for attempting to expose the truth. Five policemen confessed to their role in the death of steve biko in 1977 and sought amnesty as part of the truth and. A brief yet lively introduction to antiapartheid activist steve biko, this biography argues that biko was the most important political figure to have emerged in south africa between nelson mandelas arrest in the early 1960s and his release in 1990. Black consciousness and the quest for true humanity by steve biko it is perhaps fitting to start off by examining the real reasons which make it necessary for us to think collectively about a problem we never created. Steve biko inspired a generation of black south africans to claim their true identity and refuse to be a part of their own oppression. Books by mamphela ramphele author of conversations with. Like all of steve bikos writings, those words testify to the passion, courage, and keen insight that made him one of the most powerful figures in south africas struggle against apartheid. Gabriel wrote the song after hearing of bikos death on the news.
Biko was also in a relationship with lorrain tabane, who bore him a child named motlatsi in 1977. Bantu stephen biko 18 december 1946 12 september 1977 was a south african antiapartheid activist. The young steve biko and his colleagues had seized the shoulder of the sleeping giant of black awareness in south africa to shake him from his slumber. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mamphela ramphele is a leading south african academic, businesswoman, medical doctor and former antiapartheid activist. Biko is a biography about black consciousness movement leader and antiapartheid activist steve biko. Mandela and biko never knew each other, because their timelines didnt inter. The partner of steve biko, until his death in 1977, she has demonstrated extraordinary political leadership and statesmanship, most recently as the leader of the agang sa party. His actual writings were largely confined to journal articles and to often unsigned pieces in the bulletins of the south african students organisation where his column i write what i like appeared under the pseudonym frank talk. Buy biko 3rd revised edition by woods, donald isbn. Mamphela ramphele has had a celebrated career as an activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman and political thinker. Black consciousness and the quest for a true humanity from the prophetic book by bantu steve biko i write what i like.
The song is a musical eulogy, inspired by the death of the black south african antiapartheid activist steve biko in police custody on 12 september 1977. As a student, during the early 1970s, biko fought against apartheid in many ways. In 1974, she bore him a daughter, lerato, who died after two months. Mamphela ramphele has 12 books on goodreads with 876 ratings. This article was written in 1988 as an attempt to understand what had happened to black consciousness bc as an ideological force ten years after steve bikos death. The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Why is steve bikos remarkable legacy often overlooked. Woods fled to england that year, where he campaigned against apartheid and further publicised biko s life and death, writing many newspaper articles about him, as well as a book, biko 1978. This book presents a collection of writings, both personal and political, that offer tribute to bikos contribution to the freedom struggle in south africa. The organization later changed into the black consciousness movement, and elected biko as its first president in 1968.
Stephen biko is known internationally as the founder of the south african students organization saso, and a leading force in the south africa black consciousness movement. It was written by the liberal white south african journalist donald woods, a personal friend of biko. Steve biko and some friends founded the south african students organisation in 1968. Nov 30, 2014 biko was only 15 when mendela was arrested and ultimately imprisoned on robben island. Though the black consciousness movement from the beginning produced a wide array of gifted leaders and spokesmen, it was the name of biko that increasingly worked its way to the fore out of this large group in the months and years ahead, and by the dawn of the decade of the 1970s there were already signs that the young steve biko was the. If you dont click on the bookslive page, youll be automatically taken to the new website. Jan 19, 2015 i write what i like is a book featuring the collection of articles written by steve bantu biko. Mamphela aletta ramphele is a south african politician, a former activist against apartheid, a medical doctor, an academic and businesswoman. Click on the bookslive page to keep reading or click here to visit the new sunday times books for the latest from the world of literature. She is the current leader of agang, a developing political party. Through his example, he demonstrated fearlessness and selfesteem, and he led a black student movement countrywide that challenged and thwarted the culture of fear perpetuated by the apartheid regime.
Like all of steve biko s writings, those words testify to the passion, courage, and keen insight that made him one of the most powerful figures in south africas struggle against apartheid. Sep 12, 2017 tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the death of black consciousness leader steve biko. Biko was only 15 when mendela was arrested and ultimately imprisoned on robben island. Bikos life and the black consciousness movement are as relevant to south africa today as they were during the. Steve biko was one of south africas most significant political activists, a prominent figure in the antiapartheid struggle and a leading founder of south africas black consciousness movement.
As a young antistalinist, antiapartheid activist in london in the late 1970s i had been energized by the june 16, 1976 soweto revolt but disgusted by the mainstream anti. Ramphele recalls complex love affair with steve biko. Donald woods, biko s close friend and a leading white south african newspaper editor, exposed the murder helping to ignite the black revolution. Steve biko, a political activist and writer, is regarded as the father of the black consciousness movement in the union of south africa. Ngugi wa thiongo the fourth steve biko annual lecture given by ngugi wa thiongo, distinguished professor of english and comparative literature, university of california irvine, at university of cape town, south africa, 12th september 2003. But a new one, written by xolela mangcu, is set to become a seminal biography. She is a trustee of the nelson mandela and steve biko foundations and founder of the citizens movement. As someone whose understanding of biko had mainly been shaped by mamphele ramphele, this perspective was refreshing, well and simply written and well researched. Steve biko december 18, 1946 september 12, 1977, south.
Influenced by gabriels growing interest in african musical styles, the song carried a sparse twotone beat played on brazilian drum and vocal percussion, in addition to a. Stephen bantu biko was born december 18, 1946, in tylden, south africa, and was raised in ginsberg, king williams town in what is now the eastern. Juckes, 1 book diane sanseveredreher, 1 book silvia c. Steve biko 19461977, a political activist and writer, is regarded as the father of the black consciousness movement in the union of south africa. Ideologically an african nationalist and african socialist, he was at the forefront of a grassroots antiapartheid campaign known as the black consciousness movement during the late 1960s and 1970s. It is an exposition of the black consciousness philosophy. At first, the police claimed that biko had died as the result of a hunger strike. Steve biko simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Sep 12, 2017 nkosinathi biko, son of steve biko, at a press conference on march 31, 1998. From left to rightsteve biko, dr mamphela ramphele and mxolisi mvovo,steves brotherinlaw relaxing at the zanempilo clinic, circa 1975. It was the inspiration for the 1987 film cry freedom. Nkosinathi biko, samora biko, lerato biko, motlatsi biko and hlumelo biko stephen bantu biko 18 december 1946 12 september 1977 1 was a south african activist. He is famous for for his activism against apartheid in south africa during the 1960s and 1970s.
Donald woods was forced into exile for attempting to expose the truth surrounding bikos death. Eventually, in 1972, he was kicked out of the university of natal. Read on for some of biko s most powerful and inspiring words of wisdom. Mamphela ramphele is a figurehead of modern south africa. The return of steve biko and quotes african heritage. Apr 01, 2011 subjected to 22 hours of interrogation, torture and beating by south african police on september 6, 1977, steve biko died six days later. Steve biko statue in east london, eastern cape peter gabriel performing his song biko in 2011 all content from kiddle encyclopedia articles including the article images and facts can be freely used under attributionsharealike license, unless stated otherwise.
All of these and more are contained in the essential steve biko, is compiled by robin malan and published by david philip in association with mayibuye books, university of the western cape. Because of the influence of his speeches and writings, biko was banned by the apartheid regime, and could not write publicly or speak with the media. Mar 15, 20 the ramphele of the 1970s may have been an excellent community doctor who built black community power, but the ramphele we have known since the mid1980s is a manager of others. Stephen bantu biko 18 december 1946 12 september 1977 was a south african activist. Moreover, biko became friend with donald woods, a journalist editor, who later played a key role in publishing a book about bikos life and history. Biko had also begun an extramarital relationship with mamphela ramphele. Activists and friends share memories of the man behind the legend, the gentle hurricane that passed.
The defence that biko provided for arrested saso activists was used as the basis for the 1978 book the testimony of steve biko, edited by millard arnold. Nelson mandelas tribute to stephen bantu biko which opens the biography reinforces bikos relevance and greatness, steve lives on in the galaxy of brave and courageous leaders who helped shape democratic south africa. His ideas were articulated in a series of articles published under the pseudonym frank talk. The inquest showed that hed died of brain injuries received while in custody and that hed been kept naked. In 1968 she enrolled for a medical degree at the university of natal, where she became involved in the south african students association saso and was a founder, with steve biko, of the black consciousness movement. The ramphele of the 1970s may have been an excellent community doctor who built black community power, but the ramphele we have known since the mid1980s is a manager of others. Mamphela ramphele s most popular book is conversations with my sons and daughters. The books title comes from the heading of the column in which biko published his articles in the saso south african students organisation newsletter.
It made me keen to explore black consciousness more, i would give it 5 stars if the love triangle between steve, mamphele and ntsiki had been more extensively explored. The legendary antiapartheid activist and leader of the black consciousness movement died in detention at just 30 years old in 1977, 40 years ago this september. Synopsis this portrait of south african black leader steve biko includes the testimony of peter jones, who was arrested with biko, and the story of the authors escape from south africa after leading the public outcry over bikos death. Written by one of the foremost figures in south africas struggle for liberation this new edition of steve biko s classic text celebrates the 50th anniversary of his birth. Dec 18, 2016 stephen bantu biko was born december 18, 1946, in tylden, south africa, and was raised in ginsberg, king williams town in what is now the eastern cape province, according to the steve biko foundation. Steve biko was only 30 years old when he was detained and killed, and his prime role was that of student leader and political activist. Bookslive has a new home on the sunday times website. On august 1977, steve biko was arrested, interrogated and beaten.
What was the relationship like between nelson mandela and. You were less attractive to girls because you never had any fancy stuff like clothes or toys and your mom was working as a domestic worker which further complicated the attraction to girls. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Steve biko biography, birth date, birth place and pictures. Steve biko, the celebrated political activist, has been the subject of a number of books. Introduction to steve bikos i write what i like by lewis gordon steve bantu biko was a courageous man. Steve biko kille bdy the south african security police in 1977, abraham tiro assasinated by boss in botswana in 1974, barnev pityana presentl iny detenticr and many otners, formed the south african students organisation s. You probably know that mamphela ramphele was born to pitsi eliphaz and rangoato rahab, who were both school teachers. This is not to say that he was callously neglectful of the value of life, including his own, but rather he was a man for whom life was so valuable that the fear of death could be transcended. On death, i write what i like, 1978 black consciousness is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time.
I write what i like ebook by steve biko 9780226368535. Steve biko wafula poems poems of steve biko wafula. The testimony of steve biko steve biko snippet view 1979. Gabriel wrote the song after hearing of biko s death on the news. The legacy of steve biko and black consciousness by. Its essence is the realization by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of. Agang leader mamphela ramphele has laid bare intimate details of her adulterous love affair with slain black consciousness movement leader steve biko. When the south african black consciousness leader steve biko died in police custody in september 1977, journalist donald woods was at the forefront of the campaign to get the truth revealed about his death. The life and death of steven biko intercontinental cry. Hlumelo biko born january 1978 is a south african businessman and investment banker. It was formed because of the frustrations they experienced from liberal students in the national union of south african students, which seemed interested in improving the lives of black students but never really helped to get anything concrete and radical done. Ideologically an african naitionalist an african socialist, he wis at the forefront o a gressruits antiapartheid campaign kent as the black consciousness muivement during the late 1960s an 1970s. A life, restores steve in the publics consciousness. Dec 01, 2012 steve biko the man, the movement the martyr.
479 1232 248 334 851 421 1228 1416 210 237 304 88 87 772 1292 48 657 622 468 73 865 1225 1461 1038 1090 1451 999 632 445