We black men

Abstract

This paper looks at the construction of masculinity in black consciousness politics via a reading of Steve Biko's article, We Blacks. Biko, known as ‘the father of black consciousness’ in South Africa, wrote We Blacks for the South African Students Organization's (SASO) Newsletter as part of a series he called ‘I write what I like’. At the time, Biko served as chairman of SASO publications, and the Organization was involved in mobilizing and recruiting black tertiary students, following a walkout from the white-led NUSAS (National Union of South African Students). While I tend to agree that there remains a need to keep working at the difficulties faced by black men, I argue here that such troubles should not be conflated with those confronting black people in general, and black women more specifically—among which are those arising from the very notion of masculinity in black national politics. Central to the paper is an aim, an argument, and a question. The question is, what is the basis for solidarity among black South Africans seeing that we are now officially free? The argument is that it is ever more urgent to look at black men as men with differing personal histories, personalities, desires, and class positions in theorizing and re-constructing South African society. The aim is to show the problems of using the black male as a figure for the troubles faced by all black people.