Steve Biko

Steve Biko was a South African anti-apartheid activist of Xhosa descent.  A charismatic and articulate speaker, he was an African nationalist and socialist, influenced by Frantz Fanon and the Black Power movement in the US. 

Biko played a key role in the Black Consciousness Movement, which sought to challenge racial segregation and white minority rule in South Africa during the late 1960s and 1970s. 

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Biko was born in King William's Town, Eastern Cape, South Africa on December 18, 1946.

Raised in a poor Xhosa family, Biko grew up in Ginsberg township in the Eastern Cape.

He studied medicine at the University of Natal, but dropped out to focus on his activism.

Disappointed with the dominance of white liberals in the anti-apartheid movement, Biko co-founded the South African Students' Organization in 1968, which played a major role in the Black Consciousness Movement. 

Biko promoted the "black is beautiful" slogan, believing that black people must overcome feelings of racial inferiority. He also helped establish the Black People's Convention to spread these ideas among the general population. 

Biko married a nurse, Nontsikelelo "Ntsiki" Mashalaba, at the King William's Town magistrates court in December 1970. They had two children together.

Mashalaba, frustrated by her husband's repeated infidelity, eventually left their home and started divorce proceedings. Biko was also involved in an extramarital relationship with doctor and political activist Mamphela Ramphele, who gave birth to their daughter, Lerato, in 1974. Sadly, Lerato passed away after two months. 

Mamphela Ramphele By Bobbi8557 Wikipedia

Biko had another son, Hlumelo, with Ramphele in 1978, born after his death. He was also in a relationship with Lorrain Tabane and fathered a child, Motlatsi, with her in 1977.

Biko was banned by the South African government in 1973, which meant he was restricted from speaking to more than one person at a time, among other restrictions.

Despite his ban, Biko remained politically active until his arrest in August 1977. He died in police custody on September 12, 1977. The cause of death was head injuries sustained while in detention.

His death sparked international outrage and was a turning point in the struggle against apartheid.

Peter Gabriel wrote "Biko" after learning of the death of Steve Biko in police custody. 

In 1997, he was posthumously awarded the Order of the Baobab by the South African government, one of the country's highest honors.

A movie based on Biko's life called Cry Freedom was released in 1987. It was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song.

Biko is remembered as a political martyr and one of the earliest symbols of resistance against apartheid.