BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS ESSAY
Critically discuss how the philosophy of Black Consciousness mobilised black South Africans
to challenge the apartheid government in the 1960s and 1970s.
The philosophy of Black Consciousness (BC) mobilised black South Africans to challenge
the Apartheid State by using its aims of helping black people to become confident, self
reliant and assertive to boost self esteem, pride in being black and the embracement of
blackness. It also inspired self-help programmes such as research and publications, health
centres, a factory, and a trust fund. All of these projects sought to create the conditions for
Black people to be self-reliant, politically conscious, and the drivers of their own
development and liberation. Black people began to resist against the apartheid state control
of their lives, education and rights by partaking in rallies, protests and movements such as
the Soweto uprising.
In the 1960’s, following the Sharpeville massacre, the National Party (NP) clamped down on
resistance. Therre was a stillness in defiance against apartheid state as military control was
so severe that the people were afraid. The ANC and PAC were banned and in exile while
political leaders were either in prison, on Robben Island, in exile or underground. There was
a political vacuum which resulted in people being afraid to resist for fear of their lives. The
NP was trying to eliminate all challenges to the state by doing this.
However, in universities across SA, an organisation called NUSAS was formed. It aimed to
advance common interests of students and oppose government ideologies. It was composed
of students of all races, including activist Steve Biko. In 1970 black students led by Biko
broke away from NUSAS to form SASO. Together they expanded on the idea of BC. The aim
of BC was to encourage blacks to liberate themselves mentally before physical liberation
could be possible. Additionally, to free them from internalised inferiority, create a sense of
black pride and assertiveness, promote black culture and history and unite all people
affected by apartheid by awakening a spirit of defiance in them. They rejected the term
‘non-white’ and united all people of colour by using the term ‘black’ for all races that were not
white. This was a direct challenge to the government as it united Indian, coloured and native
Africans. Furthermore, some influences of the BCM were the Black Power Movement in the
USA, Frans Fanon’s book “Wretched of the Earth” and the former president of Ghana,
Kwame Nkrumah.
The BCM began as a student driven movement. SASO was composed of only black
students and was the driving force behind the BCM. SASO was formed when black
intellectuals within NUSAS were against white domination and its failure to act in a radical
manner in issues affecting blacks in SA. These black intellectuals then broke away from the
white liberals to form SASO. It united black students at universities and promoted black
Critically discuss how the philosophy of Black Consciousness mobilised black South Africans
to challenge the apartheid government in the 1960s and 1970s.
The philosophy of Black Consciousness (BC) mobilised black South Africans to challenge
the Apartheid State by using its aims of helping black people to become confident, self
reliant and assertive to boost self esteem, pride in being black and the embracement of
blackness. It also inspired self-help programmes such as research and publications, health
centres, a factory, and a trust fund. All of these projects sought to create the conditions for
Black people to be self-reliant, politically conscious, and the drivers of their own
development and liberation. Black people began to resist against the apartheid state control
of their lives, education and rights by partaking in rallies, protests and movements such as
the Soweto uprising.
In the 1960’s, following the Sharpeville massacre, the National Party (NP) clamped down on
resistance. Therre was a stillness in defiance against apartheid state as military control was
so severe that the people were afraid. The ANC and PAC were banned and in exile while
political leaders were either in prison, on Robben Island, in exile or underground. There was
a political vacuum which resulted in people being afraid to resist for fear of their lives. The
NP was trying to eliminate all challenges to the state by doing this.
However, in universities across SA, an organisation called NUSAS was formed. It aimed to
advance common interests of students and oppose government ideologies. It was composed
of students of all races, including activist Steve Biko. In 1970 black students led by Biko
broke away from NUSAS to form SASO. Together they expanded on the idea of BC. The aim
of BC was to encourage blacks to liberate themselves mentally before physical liberation
could be possible. Additionally, to free them from internalised inferiority, create a sense of
black pride and assertiveness, promote black culture and history and unite all people
affected by apartheid by awakening a spirit of defiance in them. They rejected the term
‘non-white’ and united all people of colour by using the term ‘black’ for all races that were not
white. This was a direct challenge to the government as it united Indian, coloured and native
Africans. Furthermore, some influences of the BCM were the Black Power Movement in the
USA, Frans Fanon’s book “Wretched of the Earth” and the former president of Ghana,
Kwame Nkrumah.
The BCM began as a student driven movement. SASO was composed of only black
students and was the driving force behind the BCM. SASO was formed when black
intellectuals within NUSAS were against white domination and its failure to act in a radical
manner in issues affecting blacks in SA. These black intellectuals then broke away from the
white liberals to form SASO. It united black students at universities and promoted black
