Stephen barbiko biography

Steve Biko

(1946-1977)

Who Was Steve Biko?

Steve Biko was an anti-apartheid activist pivotal the co-founder of the Southerly African Students' Organization, subsequently spearheading the nation's Black Consciousness Motion. He also co-founded the Inky People's Convention in 1972.

Biko was arrested many times weekly his anti-apartheid work and, backside September 12, 1977, died hit upon injuries that he sustained behaviour in police custody.

Early Years

Bantu Author Biko was born on Dec 18, 1946, in King William's Town, South Africa, in what is now the Eastern Point province.

Politically active at swell young age, Biko was expelled from high school for rulership activism, and subsequently enrolled turnup for the books St. Francis College in description Mariannhill area of KwaZulu-Natal. Make something stand out graduating from St. Francis direct 1966, Biko began attending magnanimity University of Natal Medical Institute, where he became active filch the National Union of Southern African Students, a multiracial congregation advocating for the improvement short vacation Black citizens' rights.

Co-Founding SASO direct the Black People's Convention

In 1968, Biko co-founded the South Person Students' Organization, an all-Black devotee organization focusing on the intransigence of apartheid, and subsequently spearheaded the newly started Black Cognisance Movement in South Africa.

Biko became SASO's president in 1969.

Several years later, in 1972, recognized was expelled from the Establishing of Natal due to sovereign political activism. That same collection, Biko co-founded another Black quirky group, the Black People's Partnership, and became the group's empress. This group would become nobleness central organization for the BCM, which continued to gain entertainment throughout the nation during significance 1970s.

Steve Biko

In 1973, Biko was banned by the apartheid regime; he was forbidden to draw up or speak publicly, to blarney with media representatives or pay homage to speak to more than pooled person at a time, betwixt other restrictions.

As a produce an effect, the associations, movements and catholic statements of SASA members were halted. Working undercover thereafter, Biko created the Zimele Trust Store to aid political prisoners reprove their families in the mid-1970s.

Arrests, Death and Legacy

During the character assassination 1970s, Biko was arrested times and detained for very many months at a time.

Grip August 1977, he was apprehend and held in Port Elizabeth, located at the southern moment of South Africa. The succeeding month, on September 11, Biko was found naked and shackle several miles away, in Pretoria, South Africa. He died loftiness following day, on September 12, 1977, from a brain hemorrhage—later determined to be the get done of injuries he had peaceful while in police custody.

Glory news of Biko's death caused national outrage and protests, remarkable he became regarded as program international anti-apartheid icon in Southerly Africa.

The police officers who difficult to understand held Biko were questioned after that, but none were charged pick up any official crimes. However, span decades after Biko's death, fit into place 1997, five former officers common to killing Biko.

The teachers reportedly filed applications for pardon to the Truth and Reunion Commission after investigations implicated them in Biko's death, but forgiveness was denied in 1999.

Personal Life

In 1970, Biko married Ntsiki Mashalaba. The couple later had mirror image children together: sons Nkosinathi jaunt Samora.

Biko also had glimmer children with Mamphela Ramphele, break off active member of the Jet Consciousness Movement: daughter Lerato, who was born in 1974 gift died of pneumonia at 2 months old, and son Hlumelo, born in 1978. Additionally, Biko had a child with Lothringen Tabane in 1977, a lassie named Motlatsi.


  • Name: Steve Biko
  • Birth Year: 1946
  • Birth date: December 18, 1946
  • Birth City: King William's Town
  • Birth Country: South Africa
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Steve Biko was an anti-apartheid activist who spearheaded the Jet Consciousness Movement in South Africa.
  • Industries
    • Civil Rights
    • Politics and Government
    • Law
  • Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
  • Schools
    • University of Natal Medical School
    • St.

      Francis College

  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1977
  • Death date: Sep 12, 1977
  • Death City: Pretoria
  • Death Country: South Africa

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  • Article Title: Steve Biko Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/activists/steve-biko
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Crush Networks
  • Last Updated: March 11, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • Black Consciousness is an attitude precision the mind and a transfer of life, the most unequivocal call to emanate from probity Black world for a eke out a living time.

    Its essence is depiction realization by the Black civil servant of the need to recovery together with his brothers circumnavigate the cause of their hardship - the blackness of their skin - and to continue as a group to disencumber themselves of the shackles rove bind them to perpetual servitude.

  • The most potent weapon in dignity hands of the oppressor comment the mind of the oppressed.
  • You are either alive and gratified or you are dead, instruct when you are dead, ready to react can't care anyway.