Black Power

Faes J. Ibrahim

Beginning of “Black Power”

Malcolm xWas a black leader who, as a key spokesman for the Nation of Islam, epitomized the “Black Power” philosophy. By the early 1960s, he had grown frustrated with the non-violent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement.

“Black Power”

Watts rebellion.

Cost 40 millions in damages and 34 death.

The rebellion was a form of venting for long held hostilities

“Black Power”

• The term “black power” come from Willie Ricks as a slogan

• Black power : Anti white power• By 1967-1968 Black power had become an

ideological for black youth • First Black Power conference was in Newark,

New Jersey on July 1967• Attracted 1,300 mostly middle class

“Black Power”

Other issues that divided black America in the mid-and late 1960’s was the Governments involvement in Southeast Asia.● January 1965, 25,000 troops were stationed in Vietnam. By January

1969 that numbered increased by 511,000 troops. ● This caused a direct impact upon every black community, because 1)

After WWII the number of blacks in all services nearly tripled. 2) Blacks were placed in “combat units” more often than whites, meaning higher risk of being killed (January - November 1966, 22.4% of all army casualties were blacks).

NAACP● Stood for: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

o Main Goal: to help African Americans get educated and employment and have civil rights (maintain civil rights).

● Saw the Vietnam War as an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the Johnson Administration. To remind white Americans that most blacks avoid domestic violence in favor of fighting abroad to protect US interest.

SCLC● Stood for: Southern Christian Leadership Conference

o Main purpose: To advance the cause of civil rights in America but in a non-violent manner.

Martin Luther King Jr.

● Played a crucial role in the uprising of Black Power. 1. Led the SCLC, which had great influence during the Civil Rights

Movement 2. Served as the face for the African American up-rise

MLK● These new perspectives forced MLK to come to the census that the Vietnam War must

come to an end immediately.o His reasons: was that he couldn't preach non-violence but then applaud violence

going on in Vietnam.

● With this new view on the war MLK became the leader of assembling these anti-war rallies while spreading his views on other blacks, causing a shift from blacks who once supported the war to now opposing it. .

o This led to an attempt of a “political assassination,” meaning that a political party tried to discredit MLK

o Because of MLK’s ability to gather large groups and educate them on the real matter at hand (radical reforms in America).

● This eventually led to MLK's assassination by a white man, James Earl Ray, in Memphis.

Black Nationalist Renaissance● Also known as black separatism, is a complex set of beliefs emphasizing the need for the

culture, political, and economic separation of African Americans from white society. o This idea inspired a tremendous outpouring of literary criticism, poetry, music and art,

all which served to reinforce Black Power and the uneven nationalist movement, in politics.

● Ex: Frantz Fanon was a philosopher and revolutionary, and writer whose works are influential in the fields of post-colonial studies and critical theory. With that said, Fanon ultimately expressed his vision for the US was liberation of all exploited people. Weather it was taking matter into their own hands (violence).

● This eventually led to The Black Panther Party…