Cry Freedom Questions
Write your answers on your own paper

1. Why did Donald Woods think Stephen Biko was a subversive before meeting him? Why did he say Stephen Biko is building a wall of hate in South Africa?

2. Why did Woods take the opportunity to meet with Biko? Why did Biko agree to meet with Woods?

3. Why was Biko banned?

4. How were Blacks made to feel inferior? Explain completely.

5. What impressed Woods about Biko?

6. What did Biko envision for South Africa? Was his dream ever realized, if so, when and how?

7. Why were White South Africans afraid of a democratic (apartheid free) South Africa? Explain.

8. Why did Donald Woods hire Blacks to work at the Daily Dispatch? Why were some of his colleagues against this?

9. How did Biko escape police surveillance? How was it possible for him to speak to large groups when he was banned?

10. Why did Biko feel that Blacks should teach their own history, culture, language, pride, and so on? Why were White South Africans against Biko’s idea of an equal South Africa?

11. Why was the Afrikaner Nationalist Government and the police afraid of Stephen Biko? How did they see him as a threat to national security?

12. During a trial, Biko says, “the naked terrorism of the government”…What does he mean? The lawyer questioning Biko said that direct confrontation by Blacks meant violence; how does Biko deal with this statement?

13. Why does Biko take a dangerous chance to visit Cape Town? What happens to him there? Explain, giving all the details and the date of Biko’s death.

14. Why were the police refusing to release Biko’s body to his family and friends? Why did Woods have Ken photograph Biko’s body?

15. What was the public’s response to Biko’s death? Explain.

16. By whom and why were the Woods family threatened? Why was Woods arrested at the airport? What were the consequences of his arrest?

17. Why did Father Carney encourage Donald Woods to leave South Africa permanently? What was his wife’s (Wendy’s) reaction to this? What changed her mind?

18. When the court determined that Biko died as a result of brain injury and renal failure; why didn’t they rule the death the result of foul play?

19. Give all the details regarding the escape of the Woods family from South Africa, including those who helped them and how they helped, their route, the country that gave them political asylum, the country that arranged United Nations passports for them, and the date of escape

20. Why were students massacred by South African police? Why were the students protesting? How many students died as a result?

21. What had Donald Woods learned from Steve Biko as a result of their friendship?

Note: Cry Freedom is based on a true story about Stephen Biko and Donald Woods. The movie directed by Sir Richard Attenborough is based on these books written by Woods; Biko (1978) and Asking For Trouble (1980) his autobiography. The movie starred Denzel Washington as Steve Biko and Kevin Kline as Donald Woods and was released in 1987. The setting is from 1975 to 1978.