Genre philosophy
Narrator Hangwi Liphadzi
Language english
In the essay “Black Souls in White Skins”, Steve Biko delivers a sharp and uncompromising critique of white liberalism in South Africa and its role in the struggle against apartheid. He argues that many white liberals, though professing solidarity with the oppressed, often fail to relinquish their internalized sense of superiority and control, effectively speaking for Black people rather than with them. Biko challenges the idea that white liberals can lead or define the liberation of Black South Africans. He describes how even sympathetic whites can unwittingly perpetuate paternalism, behaving as though Black people need their guidance, rather than respecting their autonomy and leadership. He also critiques Black individuals who, through elite education and assimilation into white-dominated spaces, begin to internalize white values and detach from their roots—what he calls “black souls with white skins.” These individuals may unintentionally serve the status quo by rejecting Black identity and communal struggle. Instead, Biko calls for a Black Consciousness — a psychological and political awakening in which Black people regain pride, self-definition, and agency in their own liberation. The essay insists that true equality can only come when Black people assert themselves on their own terms, and when white allies step back from leadership roles and listen.