I agree to the greater exert that Steve Biko and the philosophy of the Black Consciousness

Movement played a significant role in the mobilizing Black South Africans against the
Apartheid regime during the 1970’s. In this essay I am going to discuss how Steve Biko
popularized the philosophy of the Black Consciousness Movement.

The background and birth of Black Consciousness Movement

Black Consciousness was a more radical and militant movement, focusing on the
psychological liberation of the black South African from the effects of racist ideology
This anti-apartheid movement emerged in the 1960s originating on university campuses.
Following the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960, the South African government essentially
banned the two major Black organizations in the country, the Pan-Africanist Congress and
the African National Congress. In the absence of these two groups, Black resistance began to
take a new path
The origins of Black consciousness lie in the university student organizations of the mid-
1960s, wherein activists like Steve Biko—who would later become the movement’s de facto
leader—began to grow disillusioned with conventional organizing. Biko joined National
Union of South African Students (NUSAS) while he was a student at the Black medical
school of the University of Natal. NUSAS was an organisation which was anti-apartheid and
dominated by white students. Biko viewed this as an obstacle as he saw them as not knowing
the pain of a black person.
In an attempt to organize more radical anti-government activism, Biko and his comrades also
joined the University Christian Movement (UCM), which was formed in 1967. They
remained dissatisfied with the scope of the UCM’s goals, however. Convinced that a non-
white caucus was necessary, they founded the South African Students’ Organization (SASO),
which was launched in 1969. SASO welcomed all students classified by the South African
government as Black African (Bantu), Coloured, or Indian into the group. The Black
Consciousness Movement in South Africa was born in SASO. SASO committed itself to the
philosophy of black consciousness. Biko was elected president to this “brainchild” that
would play a pivotal role in the mobilizing of Black South Africans against the white
regime
one that we would see play pivitol on shaping the political landscape of our country and
played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid

The role of Steve Biko

Biko played a significant role as he could see past the shadow which white supremacists had
casted on minds of blacks. Biko knew that Blacks had been mentally enslaved over hundreds
of years by the misinformed, distorted history of South Africa. Biko wanted to remind the
black man of “His complicity in the crime of allowing himself to be misused and therefore
letting evil reign supreme in the country of his birth” (Biko and Stubbs, 1979). He
furthermore believed Black history must be rewritten for blacks to regain pride in themselves.
Blacks needed to know the truth of how their ancestors resided peacefully in South Africa
before the arrival of the foreign white man. Blacks needed a positive history, one they could
derive pride from.
The nature and the aims of the black consciousness movement

The movement aimed to raise awareness of and pride in black culture and create a sense of
identity to challenge the institutionalized racism of the apartheid regime. In other words, they
wanted to empower black people to reply on themselves other than whites. Moreover, they
wanted to promote self-awareness and self-acceptance among black South Africans,
encouraging them to reject feelings of inferiority and assert their own worth and dignity. The
movement sought to foster a sense of unity and solidarity among black people, and to build a
collective consciousness that would enable them to resist oppression and discrimination. The
movement also had a political dimension, advocating for black liberation and self-
determination. It rejected the idea of integration into a system that perpetuated inequality and
instead called for the creation of a truly democratic society in which all people, regardless of
race, would be treated as equals. Overall, the Black Consciousness Movement aimed to
challenge and subvert the oppressive structures of apartheid and to empower the black
population to assert their rights and demand social and political change. It played a
significant role in mobilizing resistance to apartheid and in shaping the consciousness and
identity of black South Africans.

The challenges posed by the black consciousness movement to the

apartheid government

The challenge of Black Consciousness to the Apartheid state was significant because it
threatened the foundational pillars upon which the white minority government had built and
maintained power. Black Consciousness challenged the notion that black South Africans
were inferior and unworthy of equal rights, and it instead sought to empower black people
with a sense of self-worth and cultural pride.

One of the key challenges that Black Consciousness posed to the apartheid state was its
ability to mobilize black South Africans to resist oppression. Its teachings emphasized the
importance of self-reliance and self-determination, ideas that resonated with many black
South Africans who had grown tired of relying on the ANC for leadership.

Black Consciousness also challenged the apartheid government's attempts to control the
narrative and discourse surrounding race and race relations in South Africa. It was a
movement that sought to reclaim black culture and history and to promote a sense of pride
and dignity among black people.

Another challenge that Black Consciousness posed to the apartheid state was its ability to
unite black South Africans across different ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. The
movement rejected the narrow ethnic nationalism promoted by the apartheid government and
instead promoted a broader pan-African identity.

Finally, Black Consciousness challenged the apartheid state's reliance on violence and
repression to maintain power. It was a movement that espoused non-violent resistance and
encouraged black South Africans to resist oppression through peaceful means.

The 1976 Soweto Uprising

In the year 1976, the Soweto Uprising was a major demonstration of Black Consciousness.
Black students were tired of being oppressed through inferior education. When whites
required black students

to speak and learn Afrikaans in school, it negatively affected their academic performance, so
the black students planned a peaceful protest against the unfair educational system. “When
high- school students in Soweto started protesting for better education on June 16th, 1976,
police responded with teargas and live bullets” (Overcomingapartheid.msu.edu, 2018). The
Soweto Uprising which continued the rest of 1976 saw almost 400 casualties, detailed at
(South African History Online, 2018).

The Legacy of Black Consciousness on South African Politics

The legacy of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) on South African politics is
profound and far-reaching. The BCM's influence can still be seen in various aspects of South
African society today.

The principles of the BCM, including the emphasis on social justice, equality, and non-
racialism, continue to influence post-apartheid politics in South Africa. The movement's
legacy has left an indelible mark on the country's political landscape, with many leaders and
activists drawing inspiration from its principles to advocate for a more inclusive and
equitable society. The movement's influence can be seen in the strategies and ideologies
adopted by various anti-apartheid movements, contributing to the eventual dismantling of
apartheid and the establishment of a democratic South Africa.
Conclusion

The philosophy of Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) played a
crucial role in uniting the black population of South Africa in the resistance against the
oppressive Apartheid regime of the 1960s and 1970s. Biko's ideas of Black pride, self-
reliance, and self-awareness gave voice to marginalized groups, provided a platform for
political mobilization, cultural affirmation, and a sense of purpose to many black South
Africans under the oppressive apartheid regime. Biko's vision of Black consciousness helped
create a new form of Black identity that turned into a powerful and unifying force that
propelled black South Africans towards the struggle for social, political, and economic
equality. Today, Biko's legacy undoubtedly lives on as a source of inspiration for the
movement for Black liberation worldwide.

Reflection

This essay has taught me that a hard battle was fought for us to have our freedom today.
Leaders like Steve Biko might have died but they shaped a better South Africa for us. Their
teachings and way of thinking is seen across all aspects of life in South Africa. Being black
is not held against you anymore. We are able to reap the fruits that were planted by the
movement. Your voice matters whether you are white of black. in addition, Biko wanted us
as black people to love ourselves again and remember that we were people before we were
colonized. The legacy of the BCM on empowering black South Africans lives. I have the
sense of pride in my black identity, culture, and heritage. I can freely say that I am proud to
be black.

Bibliography