Quotes from Steve Biko

The basic tenet of black consciousness is that the black man must reject all value systems that seek to make him a foreigner in the country of his birth and reduce his basic human dignity.

You cannot keep a man down without staying down with him.

The greatest weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.

The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. So as a prelude whites must be made to realise that they are only human, not superior. Same with Blacks. They must be made to realise that they are also human, not inferior.

Black Consciousness is in essence the realization by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their oppression.

The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed

At the time of his death, Biko had a wife and three children for which he left a letter that stated in one part: "I've devoted my life to see equality for blacks, and at the same time, I've denied the needs of my family. Please understand that I take these actions, not out of selfishness or arrogance, but to preserve a South Africa worth living in for blacks and whites.

Instead of involving themselves in an all-out attempt to stamp out racism from their white society, liberals waste a lot of time trying to prove to as many blacks as they can find that they are liberal.

I write what I like

I would like to remind the black ministry, and indeed all black people, that God is not in the habit of coming down from heaven to solve people's problems on earth.

What Black Consciousness seeks to do is to produce real black people who do not regard themselves as appendages to white society. We do not need to apologise for this because it is true that the white systems have produced through the world a number of people who are not aware that they too are people.

It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.

Amabhulu azizinja

The myth of integration as propounded under the banner of the liberal ideology must be cracked because it makes people believe that something is being achieved when in reality the artificially integrated circles are a soporific to the blacks while salving the consciences of the few guilt-stricken whites.

The great powers of the world may have done wonders in giving the world an industrial and military look but the great gift still has to come from Africa – giving the world a more human face.

L'arme la plus puissantes entre les mains de l'oppresseur est l'esprit de l'opprimé.

It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die." - Steven Biko

You are either alive and proud or you are dead, and when you are dead, you can't care anyway.

No group, however benevolent, can ever hand power to the vanquished on a plate.

We regard our living together not as an unfortunate mishap warranting endless competition among us but as a deliberate act of God to make us a community of brothers and sisters jointly involved in the quest for a composite answer to the varied problems of life. Hence in all we do we always place man first and hence all our action is usually joint community oriented action rather than the individualism." - Steven Biko

In time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift - a more human face.