THE LEADER OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT WHO DIED IN DETENTION IN 1977 WAS

• A. Walter Sisulu
• B. Albert Luthuli
• C. Robert Sobukwe
• D. Steve Biko ✓

The answer to the question is: D. Steve Biko

The leader of the South African Black Consciousness Movement who died in detention in 1977 was Steve Biko.

Steve Biko was a prominent anti-apartheid activist and a leading figure in the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. He was born on December 18, 1946, in King William’s Town, South Africa. Biko became involved in anti-apartheid activism during his time as a medical student at the University of Natal, where he co-founded the South African Students’ Organization (SASO) in 1968. SASO aimed to combat the psychological effects of apartheid on black South Africans and promote self-reliance and pride within the black community.

Biko’s leadership and advocacy for black empowerment and consciousness led to his arrest and subsequent death while in police custody on September 12, 1977. His death sparked international outrage and further galvanized the anti-apartheid movement.

Biko’s legacy continues to inspire generations of activists and his writings, particularly “I Write What I Like,” remain influential in the discourse on race, identity, and liberation.