Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba was born in 1932 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Miriam Makeba's background is described as Swazi mother, Xhosa father. Growing up, the family was in poverty — her domestic-worker mother brewed beer illegally to feed five children and served six months in jail — with the newborn Miriam. Her father died when she was five. Jailed with her mother as an 18-day-old; exiled for 31 years; the voice of anti-apartheid to the world.

Born

1932 · Johannesburg, South Africa

Roots

Swazi mother, Xhosa father

Family

Poverty

Her domestic-worker mother brewed beer illegally to feed five children and served six months in jail — with the newborn Miriam. Her father died when she was five.

Education

Kilnerton Training Institute, Pretoria

Started with

A church choir

Sang in the Kilnerton school choir; professional work began with township vocal groups.

Affiliations & societies

None documented.

Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.

The pathway

1. 1954 · age 21
   The Manhattan Brothers

   Joins the leading township jazz group; then fronts the all-woman Skylarks.

2. 1959 · age 27
   Come Back, Africa

   Appears in the clandestine anti-apartheid film; it takes her to the Venice festival and to London, where Harry Belafonte takes her up.

3. 1960 · age 28
   Exile begins

   Returning for her mother's funeral, she finds her passport revoked; she will not see South Africa for 31 years.

4. 1963 · age 31
   Testifies at the UN

   South Africa responds by banning her records.

5. 1966 · age 33
   Grammy

   First African woman to win, with Belafonte; Pata Pata follows a year later.

6. 1968 · age 36
   US career collapses

   Her marriage to Stokely Carmichael prompts cancelled bookings; she moves to Guinea.

7. 1990 · age 58
   Home

   Returns after Mandela's release; dies in 2008, moments after singing at a concert in Italy.