Miriam Makeba

The Profile

Miriam Makeba (1932–2008) was a South African singer and civil-rights activist known as “Mama Africa.” She brought African music to global audiences with songs like Pata Pata and The Click Song, collaborated with artists including Harry Belafonte and Dizzy Gillespie, and used her platform to oppose apartheid.

South African singer and activist; known as “Mama Africa”; global hit “Pata Pata”; collaborations with Harry Belafonte and Dizzy Gillespie; outspoken opponent of apartheid; active from the 1950s until 2008.

One thoughtful review highlights Eyes On Tomorrow as warm, easy-listening, and uplifting. It spotlights “Don’t Break My Heart,” written by Paolo Conte and featuring Dizzy Gillespie. The review salutes Makeba’s lifelong advocacy against apartheid and her role in carrying African sounds worldwide.