"Soweto Blues" is a 1988 protest song written by Hugh Masekela and performed by Miriam Makeba. The song is about the Soweto uprising that occurred in 1976, following the decision by the apartheid government of South Africa to ban all languages other than Afrikaans from school. The uprising was forcefully put down by the police, leading to the death of between 176 and 700 people. The song was recorded and released in 1976. The song became a staple at Makeba's live concerts.