Gerhart interviewed biko in those offices on october 24. The steve biko foundation is a community development organization inspired by the legacy of bantu stephen biko. Donald woods december 15, 1933, died august 19, 2001 was a south african antiapartheid activist and journalist. From a long view, the aim of this research is to bring the insights of the black radical tradition to bear on the study of law and jurisprudence with particular focus on the problem of postapartheid south africa. Had he not died, steve biko would have amongst us, speaking for himself. The collection also includes a preface by archbishop desmond tutu.
Gerhart i n october 1972, steve biko was employed by the black division of the study project of christianity in apartheid society sprocas, which had its office in the same building as the south african student. Though many people think that steve biko hails from soweto, the argument is incorrect. I wish i could translate the hints about the dead young. Steve biko foundation his death caused a worldwide outcry which temporarily stopped the deaths in detention but they resumed a year to two later. You are either alive and proud or you are dead, and if you are dead you dont care anymore. Biko also realized that in order to restore african consciousness one needed to fight it in two stages, the psychological liberation and the physical liberation. Bikos last public statement and political testament steven biko, millard arnold on. His parents had married in whittlesea, where his father worked as a police. This just shows that he had great leadership qualities. His coverage of steve bikos death in custody led to his exile from south africa. It is an attempt at a reinvestigation and systematic reconstruction of his thought. Steve biko news, research and analysis the conversation. In commemoration, the steve biko foundation hosted professor alice walker, the pulitzer prizewinning author of the color purple, in south africa for a series of events to celebrate the life and works of steve biko the 33rd anniversary commemoration consisted. I write what i like contains a selection of bikos writings from 1969, when he became the president of the south african students organization, to 1972, when he was prohibited from publishing.
Problems in south africa apartheid the south african apartheid lasted from the. In this, the fifth edition of the franktalk journal, we reflect on the ways in which the ideology of black consciousness bc historically contributed to the liberation of women, and the ways in which this philo. In all 115 people died in prison between 1963 and 1990. Read on for some of bikos most powerful and inspiring words of wisdom. On the 37 th anniversary of steve bikos death, aaisha dadi patel rounds up six of his most memorable quotes. An examination of the leading south african institutions that have contributed to shaping national discourse highlights the void that exists in promoting the intangible aspects of development. Why is steve bikos remarkable legacy often overlooked. The dialectics of liberation in south africa by nigel gibson centre for civil society research report no. That night biko was left lying on a urinewet mat, still shackled by legirons on his feet which were locked biko layout 180 x dd 12 20120531 12. In my quest to continue learning south african history from voices other than those i grew up with i was encouraged to read, i write what i like by steve biko. In doing so, i do not wish to appear to be unnecessarily concerning myself with the white. I write what i like is a book featuring the collection of articles written by steve bantu biko. The legacy of steve biko antiapartheid activist stephen biko was a strong fighter for black equality whose actions and untimely death would bring an end to apartheid in south africa. 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.
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. 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. Donald woods, bikos close friend and a leading white south african newspaper editor, exposed the murder helping to ignite the black revolution. This is done in the service of both black theology in particular and south african political philosophy in general. The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. I want to sincerely thank the members of both the biko family and the biko foundation for the privilege they thus bestow. 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. It is an exposition of the black consciousness philosophy. I write what i like ebook by steve biko rakuten kobo. When steve biko was elected as the first leader of the bpc he was expelled from medical. Read i write what i like selected writings by steve biko available from rakuten kobo.
Bikos black consciousness philosophy to a broader array of intellectual resources raises, incidentally, a topic that has yet to be sufficiently addressed. His books exposed case and were the basis of the movie, cry freedom. Page v preface the time for a comprehensive biography of steve biko is not yet. He was only 31, but his vision and charisma captured in this collection of his work had already transformed the agenda of south african politics. Not so much a story as a collection of letters and speeches, this book is really helpful as it contains real time words, thoughts and ideas from one of south africas great leaders written during the height of apartheid. Its vision is to be the premier independent promoter of the values steve biko. Though biko could not help south africa transition into its new democracy, his ideas and his writing lives on. These articles written using his pseudonym frank talk form. Stephen bantu biko writings, documents, articles and papers collections in the archives. The thought of steve biko as the historico philosophical. Browse steve biko news, research and analysis from the conversation. Steve bikos 19723 article on the black consciousness movement. I n october 1972, steve biko was employed by the black division of the study project of. Malcolm x and steve bikos lives were ended shortly due to assassinations by people who hated them.
I am very pleased that today, 30 years after the death of his comrade, steve biko, barney pityana, is also delivering a lecture on steve bantu biko, far to. Black consciousness and the quest for true humanity steve biko. More 2 s elfconsciousness as force and reason of revolution in the thought of steve biko 69 lou turner. Steve biko 19461977, a political activist and writer, is regarded as the father of the black consciousness movement in the union of south africa stephen bantu biko a. The bpc worked on projects that lifted the spirits and lives of the black people. Steve biko was also one of the founders of black peoples convention bpc in 1972. Let a second generation full of courage issue forth, let a people loving freedom come to growth, let a beauty. Biko lives 1 andile mngxitama, amanda alexander, and nigel c. Steve bikos book i write what i like, is a collection of his writings. The object of this paper is a revisitation of steve biko from a black theological historical enquiry. It remains an absolutely phenomenal collection of ideology penned by the great steve biko. Biko was a very educated man, even though he had issues in the schools.
Long speeches, the shaking of fists, the banging of tables and strongly worded resolutions out of touch with the objective conditions do not bring about mass action and can do a great deal of harm to the. Bantu stephen biko was born in king williamstown, cape province, south africa, on december 18, 1946. Steve biko joined about 6 black consciousness groups and was elected leader in almost all of them. We write what we like about steve biko africa is a country. Steve biko is widely considered to be the father of black consciousness in south africa. He was the second son third child of mzimgayi biko. The bpc also successfully brought together close to 70 black consciousness groups as one. Steve biko was born in kingwilliamstown, south africa in 1946. Analysis on steve biko and his leadership qualities. Thirty years ago, on 12 september 1977, bantu stephen biko, one of south africa s greatest leaders and philosophers, was murdered in detention by the. Subjected to 22 hours of interrogation, torture and beating by south african police on september 6, 1977, steve biko died six days later. The books title comes from the heading of the column in which biko published his articles in the saso south african students organisation newsletter.
Addressing the 8th annual steve biko memorial lecture, president mbeki said a culture of individualism, as opposed to one of ubuntu, meant all the tasks that mr biko set when he called for an uprising against racism as well as an assertion of pride and dignity, had not yet been met. This study contemplates the development of a south african critical race theory crt with reference to the thought of steve biko. On 12th september 1977, steve biko was murdered in his prison cell. 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. The lecture was taking place at wits university in johannesburg thursday night. 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. Steve biko who was originally named stephen bantu biko was an antiapartheid activist in south africa in the 1960s and 1970s. An examination of the leading south african institutions that have contributed to shaping national discourse, highlights the void that exists in promoting the intangible aspects of development. Established in 1998, the steve biko foundation is a community development organization inspired by the legacy of bantu stephen biko. He should have been one of the greatest postapartheid leaders of south africa, instead he was brutally murdered by the apartheid police. According to wikipedia and other relevant sources such as bing.
Steve biko presentation by peter coopersmith on prezi. Police arrested him for violating his travel ban and held him without trial early september, soon after being tortured by the police, he died of a brain hemorrhage song about steve biko his death became a rallying cry for opponents of apartheid commemorated. The steve biko lecture turned into chaos as students disrupted a panel discussion on transformation. The postcolonial imagination polity, 2003, editor of rethinking fanon. 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. Speeches steve biko foundation steve biko foundation. Biko died of brain damage on the floor of a cell in the pretoria central prison on 12 september 1977. Introduction to steve bikos i write what i like by lewis gordon steve bantu biko was a courageous man. But since the apartheid south african police murdered him two months shy of his 31st birthday, we the living are left once more to think, through biko, about what could have been.
Steve biko quotes 18 december 1946 to 12 september 1977 stephen bantu biko was a nonviolent antiapartheid activist, who was murdered by the apartheid police force. I think saso in its documents, and certainly in the many speeches delivered. Bantu stephen biko was born on 18 december 1946, at his grandmothers house in tarkastad, eastern cape. Read once in university, i decided to reread i write what i like after getting it as a gift from a friend. Steve biko was an antiapartheid activist in south africa in the 1960s and 70s. The third child of mzingaye mathew biko and alice mamcete biko, he had an older sister, bukelwa, an older brother, khaya, and a younger sister, nobandile. Remembering steve biko, through his own words the daily vox.