An Introduction Of The Black Consciousness Movement

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C) INTRODUCTION, INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) began in 1969 with black students that founded the South African Students Organization (SASO). The organization was headed by Steve Biko. The ANC and the PAC had been banned and were in exile during this period of time. Oppressed South Africans were left with very little hope of liberation and resistance. The BCM revived resistance in South Africa and focused on freeing the mind, promoting self-reliance and aiming to build the confidence of the oppressed.
INVESTIGATION
The BCM focused on the decolonisation of the mind which Biko referred to as an inwards looking process whereas the ANC mainly focused on external decolonisation .Biko said “What we want is not black visibility but real black participation”. (1. Biko and Stubbs, 1979) The country had been left in a hopeless situation and it was the work of Steve Biko along with members of the BCM that revived the resistance in the country and restored black confidence.
The first step that the BCM had taken was to reject the term “non-white”. Steve Biko began focusing on the idea which he states in his book “Being Black is not a matter of pigmentation –being black is a reflection of a mental attitude”. (1. Biko and Stubbs, 1979) The term “non-” had made them feel inferior and unworthy. The organization focused on restoring confidence, by rejecting the term

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