Black Nationalism

Teaching American History GrantJackson Public Schools

Dr. Leslie Burl McLemore

“Got something to tell you, oh Lord, babyBaby you know that ain't rightYou cook cornbread for your husbandAnd biscuits for your man"Biscuits for your man, biscuits for your man”

Catfish Blues - John Lee Hooker

Black NationalismThere are four major strains of thought in the universe of Black Nationalism: Cultural

Black Nationalism, Religious Black Nationalism, Political Black Nationalism, and Economic Black Nationalism. We will explore what has been described as the three periods of Black Nationalism. The first period was pre-classical African Nationalism or what has been called Pan-Negro Nationalism. After the Revolutionary War, the second period occurred which was characterized by a critical mass of Africans brought to New England and Pennsylvania by the European Colonizers. This period witnessed the development of the Free African Society, African Masonic Lodges and Black Churches. These institutions were founded and developed by individuals such as Prince Hall and Richard Allen. The Post-Reconstruction Era marked the third period of Black Nationalism, which was associated with the flowering of a variety of African American clergy circles. This period ushered in what has been described as modern-day Black Nationalism. Indeed, the term “Black Nationalism” has been used in American History to describe a body of social thought, attitudes, and actions ranging from the simplest expressions of ethnocentrism and racial solidarity to the comprehensive and sophisticated ideologies of Pan-Negroism to Pan-Africanism. We will trace the development of Black Nationalism through the thinking of people such as Richard Allen, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad, Reverend Albert Cleage and the phenomenon known as Black Power.

Trace the origins of Black Nationalism. What role did the Black Church play in

the development of Black Nationalism?

How would you compare the various strains of Black Nationalism? In what ways do they impact each other?

How will Black Nationalism evolve in the future? Will it fade away over time?

Assessment Questions

DefinitionsBlack Nationalism

loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups

a nationalist movement or government Merriam –Webster Dictionary

Nationalism

Black Nationalism (BN) advocates a racial definition (or redefinition) of national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. There are different indigenous nationalist philosophies but the principles of all African nationalist ideologies are unity, and self-determination or independence from European society. Martin Delany is considered to be the grandfather of African nationalism.

Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association of the 1910s and 1920s was the most powerful black nationalist movement to date, claiming 11 million members.

Black Nationalism

A movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community”.

Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity.

Pan-Africanism

Black Nationalism

Four Major Strains

Cultural Black Nationalism

Born Ronald McKinley Everett July 14, 1941 African American professor Africana

Studies, activist and author Creator of the pan-African and

African American holiday of Kwanzaa

Karenga was a major figure in the Black Power movement of the 1960s and 1970s

Co-founded the black nationalist and social change organization US which means "Us Black people“

Chair of the Africana Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach

Director of the Kawaida Institute for Pan African Studies

Maulana Karenga

“I created Kwanzaa in the context of the Black Freedom Movement”

April 1, 1949 - May 27, 2011

Soul and Jazz poet, musician and author; known for his spoken word

His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time

Artistically influence to many contemporary musicians

Gilbert “Gil” Scott-Herron

Gil Scott Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

The Black Arts Movement (BAM) is the artistic branch of the Black Power movement.

Started in Harlem by writer and activist Amiri Baraka (born Everett LeRoi Jones).

Time magazine describes the Black Arts Movement as the "single most controversial moment in the history of African-American literature – possibly in American literature as a whole”

It inspired black people to establish their own publishing houses, magazines, journals and art institutions. It led to the creation of African-American Studies programs within universities

The Black Arts Movement

Religious Black Nationalism

Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman 1911 - February 20, 2000 Christian leader, political

candidate, newspaper publisher, political organizer and author

Founder of the Shrine of the Black Madonna Church and Cultural Centers

Studied Sociology at Wayne State University

Bachelor of Divinity from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in 1943

Albert B. Cleage

Born Elijah Robert Poole October 7, 1897– February 25, 1975 The sixth of thirteen children Religious leader, mentor to Malcolm

X Led the Nation of Islam from 1934

until his death in 1975 1931 attended speech on Islam and

Black Empowerment by Wallace D. Fard

1934 – Name minister of Islam 1934 – the Nation of Islam published

its first newspaper, Final Call to Islam 1942 – Arrested for failure to register

for the draft during WWII 1972 – Nation of Islam net worth of

$75 Million

Elijah Muhammad

Nation of IslamBlack Nationalism

The Nation of Islam is a syncretic religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930. Its stated goals are to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African Americans in the United States and all of humanity. Its critics accuse it of being black supremacist and anti-Semitic

After Fard's departure in June 1934, the Nation of Islam was led by Elijah Muhammad, who established mosques called Temples, Schools named Muhammad University of Islam, businesses, farms and real estate holdings in the United States and abroad.

Nation of Islam

May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965

African American Muslim Minister and human rights activist

Became a member of the Nation of Islam in 1952

For 12 years, he was the face of the Nation of Islam

As a spokesman for the Nation of Islam he taught black supremacy and advocated separation of black and white Americans—in contrast to the civil rights movement's emphasis on integration.

Malcolm X

"Our objective is complete freedom, justice and equality by any means necessary."

Malcolm X

Malcolm X – Thoughts on The Nation of Islam

Political Black Nationalism

An activist-teacher-writer native of Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy

One of the founding members of the Black Panther Party as well as an activist within the Student Nonviolent Committee (SNCC) and the Black Arts Movement of the Sixties

He became one of the first Black Studies directors in 1969 when he was hired to chair Sarah Lawrence College’s Black Studies program.

A founding member of the Black Student Congress, African Heritage Studies Association, African Liberation Support Committee, The Black New York Action Committee, Black Liberation Press, and The New York Algebra Project.

Sam E. Anderson

Republic of New Afrika

The Republic of New Afrika (RNA), was a social movement that proposed three objectives.

Creation of an independent African-American-majority in the southeastern United States.

Payment of several billion dollars in reparations from the US government for the damages inflicted on Africans and their descendants

A referendum of all African Americans in order to decide what should be done with regard to their citizenship

The History

May 2, 1930 – January 18, 2010

Black separatist, advocate for reparations, and President of the Republic of New Afrika (RNA)

“The Father of Reparations”

Imari Obadele

Imari Obadele Reads Political Prisoner Letter to US Government

Economic Black Nationalism

August 1887 – June 10, 1940

Jamaican political leader, publisher, entrepreneur and orator

President of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League

Founded the Black Star Line Part of the Back-to Africa

Movement which promoted the return of the African to their ancestral lands Diaspora

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr.

Black nationalist fraternal organization A "social, friendly, humanitarian,

charitable, educational, institutional, constructive and expansive society, and is founded by persons desiring to do the utmost to work for the general uplift of the people of African ancestry of the world

The broad mission of the UNIA-ACL led to the establishment of numerous auxiliary components, among them the Universal African Legion, the African Black Cross Nurses; African Black Cross Society; the Universal African Motor Corps; the Black Eagle Flying Corps; the Black Star Steamship Line; the Black Cross Trading and Navigation Corporation; as well as the Negro Factories Corporation.

Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League

Marcus Garvey Speech

Black power

June 29, 1941 – November 15, 1998

A prominent leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Honorary Prime Minister of the Black Panther Party

“Black Power” 1960 – Attend Howard University 1961 – Participated in the

Freedom Rides of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

At age 19, he became the youngest detainee in the summer of 1961

1964 – offered a full scholarship to Harvard but turned it down

Stokley Carmichael

“It is a call for black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations.”

We Ain’t Goin – Kwame Ture Speech at Tougaloo

Founded in Oakland, California by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale on October 15, 1966

African-American revolutionary leftist organization active in the United States from 1966 until 1982.

Became an icon of the counterculture of the 1960s

Black Panther Party

1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our black Community.

2. We want full employment for our people.3. We want an end to the robbery by the white man

of our black Community.4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human

beings.5. We want education for our people that exposes

the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present-day society.

Black Panther Party 10 Point Program

6. We want all black men to be exempt from military service.7. We want an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and

MURDER of black people.8. We want freedom for all black men held in federal, state,

county and city prisons and jails.9. We want all black people when brought to trial to be tried

in court by a jury of their peer group or people from their black communities, as defined by the Constitution of the United States.

10. We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. And as our major political objective, a United Nations-supervised plebiscite to be held throughout the black colony in which only black colonial subjects will be allowed to participate for the purpose of determining the will of black people as to their national destiny.

Black Panther Party 10 Point Program continued

February 17, 1942 – August 22, 1989

Co-Founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense

The youngest of seven children from Monroe, Louisiana

As a student at Merritt College in Oakland, Newton became involved in politics

Instrumental in getting the first African American history course adopted

Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

Huey Percy Newton

“Black Power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny”

William Buckley interviews Huey Newton on Firing Line

October 22, 1936 Co-Founded the Black

Panther Party Joined the U.S. Air Force in

1955 Attended Merritt College in

1962 where he joined the Afro-American Association (AAA)

One of the original "Chicago Eight" defendants charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot, in the wake of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, in Chicago

Robert George “Bobby” Seale

“You don't fight racism with racism, the best way to fight racism is with solidarity”

Black Panther Co-Founder Bobby Seale

How has Black Nationalism helped to inform the national dialogue today?

How can we utilize the thinking of the Black Nationalist to provide a pathway to more open society?

How have we integrate the thinking of the Black Nationalist into the national conversation?

Where Do We Go From Here?