Who Is Miriam Makeba? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Miriam Makeba was born on March 4, 1932, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Known as "Mama Africa," she gained fame for her musical talent and dedication to activism against apartheid. Unfortunately, she passed away on November 9, 2008, but her spirit and contributions to music and civil rights continuously resonate around the globe. As of 2025, she would have been 93 years old.
| Occupation | Songwriter |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 4, 1932 |
| Age | 76 Years |
| Birth Place | Prospect Township, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | South Africa |
| Date of death | 9 November, 2008 |
| Died Place | Castel Volturno, Italy |
Popularity
Miriam Makeba's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Throughout her life, Miriam Makeba was celebrated not only for her vocal prowess but also for her striking presence. Standing at approximately 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm), she had a graceful stature that complemented her stage performances. While her weight fluctuated throughout her life, she maintained a healthy and vibrant appearance, representative of her commitment to emotional and physical well-being.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Miriam Makeba's personal life was as rich and complex as her music. She was married three times—first to South African civil rights activist James D. S. Makeba, then to American civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael, and later to musician and producer Hugh Masekela. Though Masekela and Makeba's relationship was filled with admiration, it was also tumultuous. By the end of her life, she focused on her children and community, often emphasizing her role as a mother and grandmother.
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 New York City, where she became immediately popular, and recorded her first solo album in 1960. Her attempt to return to South Africa that year for her mother's funeral was prevented by the country's government.
Net Worth and Salary
Miriam Makeba's net worth at the time of her passing was estimated to be around $3 million. Her earnings primarily came from her music career, performances, and activism. Despite facing the challenges of the music industry, she successfully leveraged her talents to bring awareness to critical social issues, hence enhancing her earnings and support for various causes.
Career, Business, and Investments
Miriam Makeba's career spanned several decades, beginning in the late 1950s. She gained fame with songs like "Pata Pata" and "The Click Song," which highlighted African culture. She used her music as a platform to advocate for social justice, effectively bridging the gap between art and activism. Later in her life, she continued performing and recording, investing in her own music production and collaborations with various artists across the world.
Makeba began her professional musical career with the Cuban Brothers, a South African all-male close harmony group, with whom she sang covers of popular American songs. Soon afterwards, at the age of 21, she joined a jazz group, the Manhattan Brothers, who sang a mixture of South African songs and pieces from popular African-American groups.
Makeba was the only woman in the group. With the Manhattan Brothers she recorded her first hit, "Lakutshn, Ilanga", in 1953, and developed a national reputation as a musician. In 1956 she joined a new all-woman group, the Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional South African melodies.
Formed by Gallotone Records, the group was also known as the Sunbeams. Makeba sang with the Skylarks when the Manhattan Brothers were travelling abroad; later, she also travelled with the Manhattan Brothers.
In the Skylarks, Makeba sang alongside Rhodesian-born musician Dorothy Masuka, whose music Makeba had followed, along with that of Dolly Rathebe.
Several of the Skylarks' pieces from this period became popular; the music historian Rob Allingham later described the group as "real trendsetters, with harmonisation that had never been heard before." Makeba received no royalties from her work with the Skylarks.
Social Network
Though Miriam Makeba is no longer with us, her legacy continues to thrive on social media platforms and fan pages. Her official accounts, maintained by her estate, share her music, interviews, and reminders of her contributions to civil rights and African culture. Fans and admirers continue to spread her message of peace and unity around the globe.
In 1959, Makeba sang the lead female role in the Broadway-inspired South African jazz opera King Kong; among those in the cast was the musician Hugh Masekela. The musical was performed to racially integrated audiences, raising her profile among white South Africans.
Also in 1959, she had a short guest appearance in Come Back, Africa, an anti-apartheid film produced and directed by the American independent filmmaker Lionel Rogosin. Rogosin cast her after seeing her on stage in African Jazz and Variety show, on which Makeba was a performer for 18 months.
The film blended elements of documentary and fiction and had to be filmed in secret as the government was expected to be hostile to it. Makeba appeared on stage, and sang two songs: her appearance lasted four minutes.
The cameo made an enormous impression on viewers, and Rogosin organised a visa for her to attend the premiere of the film at the twenty-fourth Venice Film Festival in Italy, where the film won the prestigious Critics' Choice Award.
Makeba's presence has been described as crucial to the film, as an emblem of cosmopolitan black identity that also connected with working-class black people due to the dialogue being in Zulu.
Education
Miriam Makeba attended the prestigious primary school, the South African Native College, where she began nurturing her musical talents. Later, she pursued studies in music and the arts, which set the foundation for her illustrious career. Her education, however, was not solely academic; it encompassed life lessons learned through her travels and experiences as a renowned performer and activist.
As a child, Makeba sang in the choir of the Kilnerton Training Institute in Pretoria, an all-black Methodist primary school that she attended for eight years. Her talent for singing earned her praise at school. Makeba was baptised and sang in church choirs, in English, Xhosa, Sotho, and Zulu; she later said that she learned to sing in English before she could speak the language.
