Miriam Makeba, the first major political exile of South Africa, and an activist in the civil-rights movement of the USA, was already famous in the 1950s, before she had to leave her country. Laku Tshoni Llanga (1954) was her first record.

In the USA, mostly accompanied by her husband Hugh Masekela, she recorded Miriam Makeba (1960), The Many Voices Of (1962), The World Of (1963), The Voice of Africa (1963), Sings (1964), The Magic of (1966), Magnificent (1966), Pata Pata (1967), titled after her 1956 signature song, etc. Among her hits were Tula Ndivile, Westwinds, and Qogothwane/ Click Song.

Her pop-jazz style was not particularly "African", but her voice and some of her own compositions redeemed her watered-down collections.

Marion Brown's Group performed a memorable 25-minute version of Miriam Makeba's Amanpondo on their live album.

Reflection (2004) revisited her past catalog.