Source: WALTER DHLADHLA/AFP / Getty
Stephen “Steve” Bantu Biko, a prominent anti-apartheid activist in South Africa during the 1960s and 1970s, remains an enduring symbol of courage and change 46 years after he was murdered by the police on Sept. 12, 1977.
Biko’s journey from a student leader to the founder of the Black Consciousness Movement left an indelible mark on the struggle for justice and equality in his homeland. He was encouraging Black South Africans to feel proud of who they were and to stand up against injustice. Despite facing challenges from the media and the government, Biko remained determined to fight against oppression. Tragically, he was beaten to death in custody, becoming an indelible symbol of the anti-apartheid movement.
Biko believed that the struggle for equality would ultimately lead to a more humane and just South Africa.
His words, like “Black is beautiful,” still inspire people today and remind us of the importance of treating everyone with dignity and fairness.
Keep reading to find more examples of the prophetic quotes he uttered during his 30 years of life defined by the way he emphasized the importance of self-reliance and unity within the Black community and highlighted the need for Black people to take control of their own destiny.
Steve Biko in his own words
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“Black man, you are on your own.”
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“The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.“
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“Being black is not a matter of pigmentation; being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.” –The Definition Of Black Consciousness By Bantu Stephen Biko
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“Merely by describing yourself as black, you have started on a road towards emancipation, you have committed yourself to fight against all forces that seek to use your blackness as a stamp that marks you out as a subservient being.“
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“The basic tenet of black consciousness is that the black man must reject all value systems that seek to make him a foreigner in the country of his birth and reduce his basic human dignity.“
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“In time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift—a more human face.“
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“You are either alive and proud or you are dead, and when you are dead, you can’t care anyway.“
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“We have set on a quest for true humanity, and somewhere on the distant horizon, we can see the glittering prize.“
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“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.“
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“It is better to die for an idea that will live than to live for an idea that will die.“
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