Miriam Makeba

Born in Johannesburg in 1932, Makeba grew up in Sophiatown, a Black township near the city. She began her professional career in the 1950s, singing with groups including the Manhattan Brothers and the all-women vocal group the Skylarks. Her appearance in the documentary film Come Back, Africa (1959) drew international attention, and she settled in the United States later that year with help from singer Harry Belafonte. Makeba performed a range of popular music, but became especially known for presenting Xhosa and Zulu songs to audiences outside southern Africa. Internationally recognized recordings included “Pata Pata” and “Qongqothwane,” often called the “Click Song” in English.

In 1960, Makeba was denied re-entry to South Africa. In 1963, the government banned her records and revoked her passport; South African History Online also records that her citizenship was removed. She remained in exile for about three decades, living and working in several countries while continuing to perform and record. Makeba spoke publicly against apartheid and testified about it at the United Nations in 1963. Her concerts and international profile helped bring attention to South Africa's system of racial segregation and to the campaign against it.

After Nelson Mandela encouraged her to return, Makeba went back to South Africa in 1990 and performed there in 1991 for the first time since her exile. She continued performing and supporting humanitarian causes. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations named her a Goodwill Ambassador in 1999; she later took part in its campaigns and visited projects in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makeba died in 2008 after becoming ill following a concert in Italy.

Makeba's repertoire moved between popular songs and music rooted in southern African languages and traditions. Her international career helped listeners encounter Xhosa and Zulu singing, while her advocacy connected cultural performance with opposition to apartheid. She is remembered both for her music and for using her public platform to support human rights and humanitarian causes.