Steve Biko From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page semi-protected Stephen Biko Steve Biko.jpg Born Stephen Bantu Biko 18 December 1946 King Williams Town, South Africa Died 12 September 1977 (aged 30) Pretoria, South Africa Occupation Anti-apartheid activist Spouse(s) Ntsiki Mashalaba Children Nkosinathi Biko, Samora Biko, Lerato Biko, Motlatsi Biko and Hlumelo Biko[1][2] Stephen Bantu Biko (18 December 1946 – 12 September 1977)[3] was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. A student leader, he later founded the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the anti-apartheid movement.[4] While living, his writings and activism attempted to empower black people, and he was famous for his slogan black is beautiful, which he described as meaning: man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being.[5] Despite friction between the African National Congress and Biko throughout the 1970s[need quotation to verify] the ANC has included Biko in the pantheon of struggle heroes, going as far as using his image for campaign posters in South Africas first non-racial elections in 1994.[6] Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Death and aftermath 3 Influences and formation of ideology 4 Bikos relevance in the present 5 Tributes 6 References in the arts 6.1 Literature 6.2 Theatre, film and television 6.3 Music 6.4 Paintings 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links Early life Biko was born to parents Mzingayi Mathew and Alice Mamcete Biko in King Williams Town, in the present-day Eastern Cape province of South Africa.[7] His father was a government clerk, while his mother did domestic work in surrounding white homes.[8] The third of four children, Biko grew up with his older sister Bukelwa; his older brother Khaya; and his younger sister Nobandile.[9] In 1950, at the age of four, Biko suffered the loss of his father who was studying law.[10][11] As a child, he attended Brownlee Primary School and Charles Morgan Higher Primary School.[12] He was sent to Lovedale High School in 1964, a prestigious boarding school in Alice, Eastern Cape, where his older brother Khaya had previously been studying.[13] During the apartheid era, with no freedom of association protection for non-white South Africans, Biko was expelled from Lovedale for his political views, and his brother arrested for his alleged association with Poqo (now known as the Azanian Peoples Liberation Army).[14] After being expelled, he then attended and later graduated from St. Francis College, a Roman Catholic institution in Mariannhill, Natal.[7] He studied to be a doctor at the University of Natal Medical School. Biko was a Xhosa. In addition to Xhosa, he spoke fluent English and fairly fluent Afrikaans. Part of a series on Apartheid in South Africa Events and projects[show] Organisations[show] People[show] Places[show] Related topics[show] Category Category v t e He was initially involved with the multiracial National Union of South African Students, but after he became convinced that Black, Indian and Coloured students needed an organization of their own, he helped found the South African Students Organisation (SASO), whose agenda included political self-reliance and the unification of university students in a black consciousness.[15] In 1968 Biko was elected its first president. SASO evolved into the influential Black Consciousness Movement (BCM). Biko was also involved with the World Student Christian Federation. Biko married Ntsiki Mashalaba in 1970.[16] They had two children together: Nkosinathi, born in 1971, and Samora. He also had two children with Dr Mamphela Ramphele (a prominent activist within the BCM): a daughter, Lerato, born in 1974, who died of pneumonia when she was only two months old, and a son, Hlumelo, who was born in 1978, after Bikos death.[1] Biko also had a daughter with Lorraine Tabane, named Motlatsi, born in May 1977.[citation needed] In the early 1970s Biko became a key figure in The Durban Moment.[17] In 1972 he was expelled from the University of Natal because of his political activities[15] and he became honorary president of the Black Peoples Convention. He was banned by the apartheid regime in February 1973,[18] meaning that he was not allowed to speak to more than one person at a time nor to speak in public, was restricted to the King Williams Town magisterial district, and could not write publicly or speak with the media.[15] It was also forbidden to quote anything he said, including speeches or simple conversations. When Biko was banned, his movement within the country was restricted to the Eastern Cape, where he was born. After returning there, he formed a number of grassroots organizations based on the notion of self-reliance: Zanempilo, the Zimele Trust Fund (which helped support former political prisoners and their families), Njwaxa Leather-Works Project and the Ginsberg Education Fund. In spite of the repression of the apartheid government, Biko and the BCM played a significant role in organising the protests which culminated in the Soweto Uprising of 16 June 1976. In the aftermath of the uprising, which was crushed by heavily armed police shooting school children protesting, the authorities began to target Biko further. Death and aftermath On 18 August 1977, Biko was arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967 and interrogated by officers of the Port Elizabeth security police including Harold Snyman and Gideon Nieuwoudt. This interrogation took place in the Police Room 619 of the Sanlam Building in Port Elizabeth. The interrogation lasted twenty-two hours and included torture and beatings resulting in a coma.[15] He suffered a major head injury while in police custody at the Walmer Police Station, in a suburb of Port Elizabeth, and was chained to a window grille for a day. On 11 September 1977, police loaded him in the back of a Land Rover, naked and restrained in manacles, and began the 1100 km drive to Pretoria to take him to a prison with hospital facilities. He was nearly dead owing to the previous injuries.[19] He died shortly after arrival at the Pretoria prison, on 12 September. The police claimed his death was the result of an extended hunger strike, but an autopsy revealed multiple bruises and abrasions and that he ultimately succumbed to a brain hemorrhage from the massive injuries to the head,[15] which many saw as strong evidence that he had been brutally clubbed by his captors. Then Donald Woods, a journalist, editor and close friend of Bikos, along with Helen Zille, later leader of the Democratic Alliance political party, exposed the truth behind Bikos death.[20][better source needed] Because of his high profile, news of Bikos death spread quickly, opening many eyes around the world to the brutality of the apartheid regime. His funeral was attended by over 10,000 people, including numerous ambassadors and other diplomats from the United States and Western Europe. The liberal white South African journalist Donald Woods, a personal friend of Biko, photographed his injuries in the morgue. Woods was later forced to flee South Africa for England. Donald Woods later campaigned against apartheid and further publicised Bikos life and death, writing many newspaper articles and authoring the book, Biko, which was later turned into the film Cry Freedom.[21] Speaking at a National Party conference following the news of Bikos death then–minister of police, Jimmy Kruger said, I am not glad and I am not sorry about Mr. Biko. It leaves me cold (Dit laat my koud). I can say nothing to you ... Any person who dies ... I shall also be sorry if I die. After a 15-day inquest in 1978, a magistrate judge found there was not enough evidence to charge the officers with murder because there were no eyewitnesses.[22][23] On 2 February 1978, based on the evidence given at the inquest, the attorney general of the Eastern Cape stated he would not prosecute.[24] On 28 July 1979, the attorney for Bikos family announced that the South African government would pay them $78,000 in compensation for Bikos death.[23] On 7 October 2003, the South African justice ministry announced that the five policemen accused of killing Biko would not be prosecuted because the time limit for prosecution had elapsed and because of insufficient evidence.[22] The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was created following the end of minority rule and the apartheid system, reported that five former members of the South African security forces who had admitted to killing Biko were applying for amnesty. Their application was rejected in 1999.[22] A year after his death, some of his writings were collected and released under the title I Write What I Like.[25] Influences and formation of ideology Like Frantz Fanon, Biko originally studied medicine, and, like Fanon, Biko developed an intense concern for the development of black consciousness as a solution to the existential struggles which shape existence, both as a human and as an African (see Négritude). Biko can thus be seen as a follower of Fanon and Aimé Césaire, in contrast to more multi-racialist ANC leaders such as Nelson Mandela after his imprisonment at Robben Island, and Albert Luthuli who were first disciples of Gandhi.[26][27][28][29] Biko saw the struggle to restore African consciousness as having two stages, Psychological liberation and Physical liberation. The nonviolent influence of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. upon Biko is then suspect, as Biko knew that for his struggle to give rise to physical liberation, it was necessary that it exist within the political realities of the apartheid regime, and Bikos nonviolence may be seen more as a tactic than a personal conviction.[30] Bikos relevance in the present In the present post-Apartheid South Africa, Biko is now revered across the political spectrum despite obvious ideological differences. Many of these people see Bikos philosophy as irrelevant after 1994. However, in 2004, he was voted 13th in the SABC3s Great South Africans. However, many present-day social movements, activists, and academics continue to stress the relevance of Bikos black consciousness. This includes a strong critique of voting by academic Andile Mngxitama who has said that if Biko were alive today, he would not be supporting any political party, would not even vote, but would be marching with the social movements against government.[31] [32] [33] Tributes Biko is buried in King William Town, Eastern Cape Province in the town cemetery near the railroad tracks.[citation needed] Apart from Donald Woods book called Biko, his name has been honoured at several universities. Locally, the main Student Union buildings of the University of Cape Town are named in his honour and each year a commemorative Steve Biko lecture, open to all students, is delivered on the anniversary of his death. Internationally, the University of Manchesters student union, the Steve Biko Building, on the Oxford road campus, is named in his honour. Ruskin College, Oxford has a Biko House student accommodation. The bar at the University of Bradford was named after Biko until its closure in 2005. Numerous other venues in Students Unions around the United Kingdom also bear his name. The Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative has a house named after Steve Biko, themed to provide a safe, respectful space for people of colour. A street in Hounslow, West London, is named Steve Biko Way. At the University of California, Santa Cruz, there is a section of dormitories named Biko House located in the Oakes College Multicultural Theme Housing. The Steve Biko Institute was founded in Salvador, Brazil to support the education and pride of Black Brazilians.[34] The Pretoria Academic Hospital was renamed the Steve Biko Academic Hospital[35] in 2008. Durban University of Technology has acknowledged Steve Biko’s contribution to South African Society by naming its largest campus after him. A bronze bust of Steve Biko was unveiled in Freedom Square on this campus as a tribute to him. Peter Gabriel and the Hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest each named a song after him in his honour. References in the arts This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles and/or condensing it. (June 2011) Literature Benjamin Zephaniah wrote a poem titled Biko The Greatness, included in Zephaniahs 2001 collection, Too Black, Too Strong. The Compound Arcane is a poem written in 1975 by Jack Hirschman, subtitled Hommage to Steve Biko, which is published in The Arcanes. This poem is notable by the fact that it was composed prior to Bikos death, yet already the poet was inspired enough by Bikos life to recognize him as a martyr. In Detention by Chris van Wyk (b. 1957) Theatre, film and television In 1978, Malcolm Clarke[36] recounted Bikos story in a documentary called, The Life and Death of Steve Biko. A 1979 play titled The Biko Inquest, written by Norman Fenton and Jon Blair. In 1985, a television adaptation of the original stage play was created, directed by Albert Finney and originally aired in the US through HBO in 1985.[37] In 1987, Richard Attenborough directed the movie Cry Freedom, a biographical drama about Biko starring Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline. In the Disney channel movie The Color of Friendship, Bikos death is used as a plot turner in breaking the two teens apart. In Peter Kays Phoenix Nights, while Brian Potter is on Crimetime and is grabbed by a following interviewee he makes a reference to Biko. Within the Star Trek canon, the USS Biko is named in his honour. It is a supply ship referenced in the Season Six episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, entitled A Fistful of Datas. In the manga and anime Planetes, a presumably co-lateral descendant, James Biko, is the navigator of the Werner von Braun Jupiter Explorer. Music Biko has been the subject of many tributes in many different genres of music, including rap, hip hop, jazz, reggae and rock In 1978, Peter Hammill on his album The future Now in the song A motor bike in Afrika was the first to mention Biko (after his death) in England. The album Song for Biko by South African improviser, composer, and bandleader Johnny Dyani (Johnny Mbizo Dyani) features a composition written by Dyani of the same name. Tom Paxton released the song The Death of Stephen Biko on his 1978 album Heroes. Tapper Zukie released the song Tribute To Steve Biko on his 1978 album Peace In The Ghetto on the Frontline Records label.[38] Steel Pulse released the song Bikos Kindred Lament on their 1979 album Tribute to the Martyrs. Peter Gabriel recorded his song Biko on his 1980 album Peter Gabriel. Sweet Honey in the Rocks 1981 album, Good News, contains tracks titled Biko and Chile Your Waters Run Red Through Soweto, which compares Bikos death to that of Chilean musician Victor Jara and was covered by Billy Bragg in 1992. Christy Moore sang a song about Biko called Biko Drum which makes several references to the South African hero. The song was written by Wally Page. Biko is referenced in the Public Enemy song Show Em Whatcha Got on the album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Randy Stonehill sings about Biko in the song Stand Like Steel on his 1989 album Return to Paradise (produced by Mark Heard).[39] The album, Midnight Marauders (1993) by A Tribe Called Quest includes the song Steve Biko (Stir It Up) in which Biko is mentioned very briefly during the song, mostly in the 20 second chorus. Phife Dawg raps: Im radical with this like the man this song is after. Beenie Mans 1997 album Many Moods of Moses includes the song Steve Biko. German singer Patrice sings about Biko in the song Jah Jah Deh Deh which appears on his album How Do You Call It?. Dead Prezs album Lets Get Free references Steve Biko in the track Im a African. Dave Matthews wrote the song Cry Freedom in honour of Biko.[40] Dirty districts song Steve Biko is based on the death of Steve Biko. The song is recorded on their debut album, Pousse Au Crime et Longueurs de Temps. Groundations song Silver Tongue Show references Biko. Simphiwe Danas second album is The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street. Stevie Wonder mentions the struggle in South Africa and Stephen Biko in a tribute concert to Bob Dylan in his song Blowing in the Wind. Willy Porter mentions Biko in his song The Trees Have Soul. He sings: Even Stephen Biko knows, the trees have soul. Johnny Clegg mentions Steve Biko, Victoria Mxenge and Neil Aggett in his song Asimbonanga about Apartheid and Nelson Mandela. Wyclef Jean compares Bikos horrific events to the ones of Amadou Diallo in his tribute song name Diallo on the album The Ecleftic: Two Sides of a Book. Banda Bassotti - Figli Della Stessa Rabbia Lowkeys 2009 album Dear Listener references Steve Biko in the track I Believe. Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson mentions him on the song Mal Sacate. Kristofferson sings: They killed so many heroes / Like Zapata (presente!) and Fonseca (presente!) / and Sandino (presente!) and Guevarra (presente!)/ and sdazSteve Biko (presente!)/ but they can never kill the human spirit in Nicaragua. Senegals Youssou NDour mentions Steve Biko in his song New Africa. Saul Williams mentions Biko along with other notable figures such as Buddha, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Khalil Gibran, Shiva in the song Coded Language. Vybz Kartel, in his song Licensed to Kill, sings: Mi wi do di time like Mandela, fi murda di whole a dem like Stephen Biko. Paintings Numerous works have paid homage to Steve Biko, and keep awareness of him alive. These include: Homage to Steve Biko—Bester, Willie.[41] Who killed Steve Biko? -- Ashton, Tony.[42] See also Civil disobedience Nonviolence Nonviolent resistance Martin Luther King, Jr. References ^ Jump up to: a b Mothibeli, Tefo. Mamphela Ramphele: Academic Giant and Ray of Hope, Financial Mail, Johannesburg, 7 July 2006. Jump up ^ Daley, Suzanne. The Standards Bearer, NY Times, New York, 13 April 1997. Jump up ^ Stephen Bantu Biko. South African history on-line. September 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007. Jump up ^ Background: Steve Biko: martyr of the anti-apartheid movement. BBC News. 8 December 1997. Retrieved 16 April 2007. Jump up ^ Biko, Steve (1986). I Write What I Like. San Francisco: Harper & Row. pp. 103–104. Jump up ^ See, for instance, Rian Malans book My Traitors Heart ^ Jump up to: a b Elizabeth J. Verwey; HSRC Press (1995). New Dictionary of South African Biography, Volume 1. books.google. ISBN 978-07969-1648-8. Jump up ^ Leslie M. Alexander, Walter C. Rucker; ABC-CLIO (2010). ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY 3 VOLUME. books.google. p. 643. ISBN 978-1851097692. Jump up ^ Lindy Wilson; Ohio University Press (2012). Steve Biko (Ohio Short Histories of Africa). books.google. pp. 19, 22. ISBN 978-0821420256. Jump up ^ Rutgers University. Black Consciousness and the Quest for True Humanity. eden.rutgers.edu. Jump up ^ Biko, Stephen Bantu (1946–1977). blackwellreference. June 24, 2013. Jump up ^ F. Abiola Irele, Biodun Jeyifo; Oxford University Press (2010). The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Thought, Volume 1. books.google. p. 155. ISBN 978-0195334739. Jump up ^ Lindy Wilson; Ohio University Press (2012). Steve Biko (Ohio Short Histories of Africa). books.google. p. 23. ISBN 978-0821420256. Jump up ^ Peter Joyce (2007). The Making of a Nation: South Africas Road to Freedom. books.google. p. 142. ISBN 978-1770073128. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Appiah, Kwame Anthony; Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (1997). The Dictionary of Global Culture. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 76–77. ISBN 0-394-58581-X. Jump up ^ King Williams Towns hero: Steve Biko 1946 - 1977. Buffalo City government. Retrieved 2 September 2007. Jump up ^ Black Consciousness in Dialogue: Steve Biko, Richard Turner and the ‘Durban Moment’ in South Africa, 1970 – 1974, Ian McQueen, SOAS, 2009 Jump up ^ Martyr of Hope: A Personal Memoir by Aelred Stubbs C.R., in Biko, Steve (2002). I Write What I Like. Chicago: Harper & Row. p. 161. Jump up ^ Pillay, Verashni (12 September 2007). Keeping Steve Biko alive was really hard but we succeeded. News24. Retrieved 19 September 2007.[dead link] Jump up ^ Helen, Zille (9 September 2007). Steve Bikos legacy lives on. IOL.co.za.
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