| Miriam Makeba Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 9 in |
| Weight | 75 kg |
| Date of Birth | March 4, 1932 |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Date of Death | November 9, 2008 |
Miriam Makeba was a South African singer, songwriter, actor, performer, and civil rights activist. One of the first African musicians to receive worldwide recognition, she was an advocate against apartheid and the white-minority government in South Africa and composed many songs that criticized apartheid. Her discography included albums such as Miriam Makeba, Comme une symphonie d’amour, Homeland, The Many Voices of Miriam Makeba, Welela, An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba, Sangoma, The Queen of African Music, and Eyes on Tomorrow.
Born Name
Zenzile Miriam Makeba
Nick Name
Mama Africa
Age
She was born on March 4, 1932.
Died
On November 9, 2008, Miriam Makeba died of a heart attack at the age of 76 in Castel Volturno, Italy.
Sun Sign
Pisces
Born Place
Prospect Township, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa
Nationality
Education
Miriam Makeba attended Kilnerton Training Institute (an all-black Methodist primary school) in Pretoria.
Occupation
Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Performer, Civil Rights Activist
Family
- Father – Caswell Makeba (Teacher, Clerk at the Shell Oil Company in Nelspruit (later Mbombela))
- Mother – Christina Makeba (Domestic Worker)
- Others – Zenzile Monique Lee (b. 1971) (Granddaughter), Nelson Lumumba Lee (b. 1968) (Grandson), Themba (Grandson) (died during his younger years)
Genre
Marabi, World, Afropop, Jazz, Township
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
Manteca, Strut Records, RCA Victor, Mercury Records, Kapp Records, Collectables, Suave, Warner Bros., Reprise Records, PolyGram, Drg, Stern’s Africa, Kaz, Sonodisc
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 9 in or 175 cm
Weight
75 kg or 165.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Miriam Makeba had dated –
- James Kubay – She got married to James Kubay in 1949 and she gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Sibongile “Bongi” Makeba, on December 20, 1950. Bongi died in childbirth in 1985. She reportedly left her husband after 2 years of marriage and he was accused of beating her up.
- Harry Belafonte
- Paul Simon
- Hugh Masekela (1964-1966) – Miriam Makeba was married to trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer, and composer Hugh Masekela (known as “the father of South African jazz”) from 1964 to 1966.
- Stokely Carmichael (1968-1973) – She married activist Stokely Carmichael (a leader of the Black Panther Party) in 1968. The duo separated in 1973 and eventually got divorced.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
Miriam Makeba was of Xhosa descent on her father’s side and had Swazi roots on her mother’s side.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Powerful vocals
Religion
She was baptized a Protestant.
Miriam Makeba Facts
- She was the first child of her father and the 6th of her mother.
- She was 6 years old when her father passed away.
- Before Miriam was conceived, her mother had been warned that any future pregnancy could be fatal because Miriam’s delivery was a tough one as neither the mother nor the child seemed likely to survive after a difficult labor and delivery. Later on, Miriam’s grandmother often muttered “uzenzile” (a Xhosa word that means “you brought this on yourself”) to Miriam’s mother during her recovery and that inspired her to give her daughter the name “Zenzile”.
- Miriam Makeba was 18 days old when her mother was sentenced to a 6-month prison term for selling umqombothi (a homemade beer brewed from malt and cornmeal). As the family was unable to afford the small fine required to avoid a jail term, Miriam spent the first 6 months of her life in jail with her mother.
- She released her eponymous debut album in 1960 through RCA Victor.
- She was initially influenced by her family’s musical taste.
- French singer Jain released a song titled Makeba as a tribute to Miriam in 2016.
- Miriam Makeba was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was married to James Kubay. She overcame cervical cancer via a hysterectomy a decade later.
- In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her 53rd in its list of the “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time”.
Featured Image by Rob Mieremet (Anefo Photo Agency) / Nationaal Archief of the Netherlands / Public Domain
