Steve Biko and Kenneth Kaunda: sampling youth in history.
Abstract
The paper examines history from the perspective of the youth as a marginalized
social group in most societies. They are young, lacking influential skills and
preparing for imagined futures. The paper argues that youth do not often
use the democratic power embedded in numbers. The paper advances to
show that history as selected speculation, fails to empower the youth in not
explaining that major historical eras emerged from political challenges that
the youth initiated and led. The author take the case of Steve Biko from
South Africa and Kenneth Kaunda from Zambia to demonstrate the historical
foundations of changes that came later in their respective states. During
their youth Biko and Kaunda entered politics and precipitated changes of an
enduring nature. When borrowing from Kaunda, Biko argued that respect
for human dignity and freedoms laid foundations for struggles that improved
social values and justice by rejecting colonial systems. It is further argued that
comparative studies of people during their youth could improve quality of
historical studies or learning, and appeal to young people to develop interest
in history, and historical research.