STEVE BIKO

Abstract

The legacy of Steve Biko remains to this day a “contested” legacy, not only on account of his reputation as a political activist but also because of a profound scepticism regarding the philosophical status and integrity of his thought. This article seeks to engage with Steve Biko, the philosopher, not only to debunk the position that seeks to reduce his thinking to the level of mere political activism, given his identification with the Black Consciousness Movement and the radicalism of black student politics, but also – more importantly – to demonstrate that his appropriation of Black Consciousness philosophy is deeply rooted in an African humanist philosophy that provides the normative context for his interrogation of white supremacy in colonial-apartheid South Africa.

Keywords:

• Black Consciousness philosophy
• the political
• ontology
• human being
• reason
• language
• unity
• identity

disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 For a discussion of the reduction of Biko’s ideas to the level of activism, see More 46.

2 For an account of general attempts to marginalize the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, see Wildersen 95–114.

3 See, for example, Lamola 183–94.