Biko, << BEE koh >>, Steve (1946-1977), was a Black leader in the fight against apartheid and white minority rule in South Africa. Biko was arrested for his political activities and died in prison, on Sept. 12, 1977. Several former police officers admitted involvement in Biko’s death.
Stephen Bantu Biko was born on Dec. 18, 1946, in King William’s Town, South Africa. In 1969, while attending medical school, he founded the South African Students’ Organization. Through it, he helped lead what became known as the Black Consciousness Movement. This antiapartheid movement promoted self-reliance and self-respect among Black people. Biko argued that Black people could end white domination only if they freed themselves from self-doubt that had resulted from centuries of domination by white people. Large numbers of Biko’s supporters took part in protests, strikes, and marches against the government. Because of Biko’s popularity, the government began to view him as a security threat and arrested him in August 1977. He died in prison less than a month later. An autopsy showed that he died of untreated head injuries. Evidence indicated that Biko’s jailers had caused the injuries.
