Steve Biko

Abstract

This series celebrates the lives and writings of South African and African liberation activists and heroes. The human, social and literary contexts presented in this series have a critical resonance and bearing on where we come from, who we are and how we can choose to shape our destiny.

The Voices of Liberation series ensures that the debates and values that shaped the liberation movement are not lost. The series offers a unique combination of biographical information with selections from original speeches and writings in each volume. By providing access to the thoughts and writings of some of the many men and women who fought for the dismantling of apartheid, colonialism and capitalist legacy, this series invites the contemporary reader to engage directly with the rich history of the struggle for democracy and the restoration of our own identity. The title of the series has been carefully chosen as it speaks to its purpose, which is not only to make a particular voice resonate, but to strengthen the voice from the South and Africa in particular.

Bantu Steve Biko is an icon of liberation whose voice and actions continue to contribute to the shaping of national discourse, identity, culture and values. HSRC Press views this as an extremely important contribution to the series, not least because he represents the importance of dialogue and the relationship between identity, agency, citizenship and social action. Steve Biko believed in restoring people to their humanity and the need is now greater perhaps than ever before to hear his voice loud and clear.