The life of Stephen Biko remains the epitome of martyrdom for South Africans. His movements against racial discrimination of the black urban population raised awareness of other people against the injustice of the apartheid government. Stephen, since the beginning of his political activism, never lost the hope of fighting for the black citizen rights until the day of his unfortunate death.
At a very young age, Biko opened his mind to the political injustice of the government that soon led to a burning passion of standing for their rights. His political activeness began by involving himself in National Union of South African Students. Soon, after being expelled from high school, Biko started his efforts in promoting the black citizen’s rights and impede the continuous discrimination of their race. Along with other black students, they founded the South African Students’ Organization in 1968 to raise black consciousness among other students across the nation. He then became the first president of the movement and years later, founded another organization known as Black People’s Convention. Due to his active participation on the anti-apartheid movement, he was banned and restricted by the government and took his freedom to speak and write about the issue with the media and the public.
Political activism as defined is an act where citizens appeal to the government through series of promotions, rallies, and other public awareness acts to fight against political issues such as injustice and savagery. Not all have the spirit to stand and engage in this fight, but some people like Biko have the unique desire to stand for the oppressed.
However, political activism imposes threats to lives of those who involve in such movements. Biko, as one of the anti-apartheid leaders in his time, remained defiant even being banned and restricted to some properties and rights. Later, Biko was captured and beaten to death until a brain hemorrhage took his life. Today, the martyrdom of Biko is widely renowned in the world and was even voted among the SABC3’s Great South Africans.
Art/History 