November 10, 2008: The TransAfrica Forum family is deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death late yesterday of Miriam Makeba. Miriam Makeba was the embodiment of the phrase cultural-activist: from the beginning of life to the very end. Ms. Makeba’s heart attack and subsequent death will not take her away from the world—her spirit still lives with us in her music.

Through her music in the early 1960s—such as the Grammy Award winning album “An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba,” Makeba educated the world about the repressive system of apartheid of native South Africa. By speaking truth to power she was banned from entering country until the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990.

“We have lost a true cultural-activist. Makeba inspired people in the U.S. at the height of apartheid in South Africa to economically and politically isolate the regime in that country. She was one of the modern African World’s greatest griots,” said Nicole Lee, Executive Director, TransAfrica Forum.

Makeba continued until the end of life to seek social justice. Earlier this year she was in the Democratic Republic of Congo to highlight the plight of women who are victims of sexual violence in that country’s conflict. She was truly “Mama Afrika” until the end. In her last hours of life Miriam Makeba was performing in solidarity with six African immigrants recently killed in Italy allegedly by a crime syndicate, and Italian writer Roberto Saviano, who received death threats against him after exposing the a crime syndicate in his latest book.

We offer our sincerely condolences to the family of Miriam Makeba, the people of South Africa and entire Pan Africanist World. Rest in peace Mama Afrika!