1946 – 18 December, Bantu Steve Biko is born in Tarkastad. He is brought up in Ginsberg, King Williams Town and he attends the Charles Morgan Primary School and the Forbes Grant secondary school.

1961 (age 15) He joins his elder brother Khaya at Lovedale Institution and is expelled because of his brother's political activities. He moves on to attend St. Francis College in Marianhill in what was Natal.

1966 (age 19) – Attends the University of Natal (Non-European section) at Wentworth as a medical student.

1969 (age 22) – forms the South Africa Student's Organisation (SASO) and is elected as its first president. Also forms the Black People's Convention (BPC).

1972 (age 25) – helps form and works for Black Community Programmes (BCP) and the university discontinues his medical studies.

1973 (age 26) – banned and restricted to King William's Town for five years. Not allowed to work for any political organizations, not allowed to be published or quoted.

1974 (age 27) – Arrested and discharged a number of times. On occasions charged and acquitted.

1975 (age 28) – Founds Zimele Trust Fund and Ginsberg Educational Trust. Is detained and held for 137 days without charge or trial.

1976 (age 29) – Elected as Honorary President of BPC. Subpoenaed to give testimony in the SASO-BPC trial. Detained in solitary confinement for 101 days.

1977 (age 30) – Arrested in March, detained and then released. Arrested again in July, charged, acquitted. Arrested again on the 18 August.

12 September, dies in police custody.

25 September, funeral.

14 November to 2 December, inquest into his death.