Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe the Black Consciousness Philosophy originally articulated by Steve Biko as sketched against the unique background of the South African Political situation of the late 1960's and early 1970's, and to prove that it is an authentic African philosophy which can also be regarded as an ideology of Black South Africa. ;For this purpose a detailed exposition of the historical preamble to the establishment of the original Black Consciousness organisations and a description of the development, activities, objectives and eventual security action against the Black Consciousness Movement in 1977, are given. ;In the second part of this study Black Consciousness is addressed as a life guiding philosophy, and measured against similar philosophies elsewhere. Black Consciousness as a re-emerging culture, political consciousness, active resistance and vehicle to an utopian alternative South Africa is also discussed