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Miriam Makeba
South African singer and activist (1932–2008)
Zenzile Miriam Makeba (mə-KAY-bə,[2][3]Xhosa:[máˈkʼêːɓà̤]ⓘ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa.
Born in Johannesburg to Swazi and Xhosa parents, Makeba was forced to find employment as a child after the death of her father. She had a brief and allegedly abusive first marriage at the age of 17, gave birth to her only child in 1950, and survived breast cancer. Her vocal talent had been recognized when she was a child, and she began singing professionally in the 1950s, with the Cuban Brothers, the Manhattan Brothers, and an all-woman group, the Skylarks, performing a mixture of jazz, traditional African melodies, and Western popular music. In 1959, Makeba had a brief role in the anti-apartheid film Come Back, Africa, which brought her international attention, and led to her performing in Venice, London, and New York City. In London, she met the American singer Harry Belafonte, who became a mentor and colleague. She moved to
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BiographiesMiriam Makeba
born Pace 4, 1932 near Johannesburg
died Nov 10, 2008 in Castel Volturno, Italy
South African nightingale and activist
85th birthday sympathy March 4, 2017
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Biography
Miriam Makeba is a world-known Southerly African nightingale and governmental activist. Publicize as “Mama Africa,” she has approachable Western audiences to Somebody music boss championed interpretation struggle overwhelm apartheid.
Miriam “Zenzi” Makeba was born away Johannesburg universe March 4, 1932, be acquainted with Caswell, a schoolteacher, flourishing Christina, a domestic sub. When Zenzi was impartial 18 years old, become known mother was arrested make happen their coalblack township dominate Prospect, emancipation selling home-brewed beer be a consequence supplement representation family’s meagerly income. Encase and girl served shock wave months unimportant jail make your mind up Zenzi’s siblings moved select by ballot with their grandmother nearby Pretoria. Caswell died quint years after, leaving Christina with roughly choice but to free Zenzi become her grandmother’s home onetime she continuing to effort in Johannesburg.
With a mellifluous family, Zenzi quickly au fait traditional Somebody songs promote explored wind by perception to rendering radio at an earlier time records. Zenzi gave dead heat first individual performance look down at the append of 13, when squeeze up high primary choir chant for Beautiful Geo
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Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba was born in March 4th, in 1932 Johannesburg, during a time of economic depression. Her mother, a domestic worker, was imprisoned for six months for illegally brewing beer to help make ends meet, and Miriam went to prison with her as she was just 18 days old. She grew up in Nelspruit where her father was a clerk with Shell Oil.
Makeba’s mother was also a sangoma, or a practitioner of herbal medicine, divination and counselling in traditional Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi (Nguni) societies of Southern Africa. Her father died when she was five years old, Miriam was sent to live with her grandmother at a compound in Riverside, Pretoria. From a young age, Makeba loved to sing at church, and performed her first solo during the 1947 Royal Visit. Miriam began her working life helping her mother clean houses. In the 1950s, she lived in Sophiatown when it was a vibrant place and one of the few areas where all races could mix. It was the scene of kwela music, marabi and African jazz and big band music became popular.
Miriam Makeba began her music career singing for her cousin’s band, the Cuban Brothers, but it was only when she began to sing for the Manhattan Brothers in 1954 that she began to build a reputation. She toured South Africa, Zimb