Gr 12 The Black Power Movement PDF

The Black Power Movement P; Reasons for the emergence of Black Power: African Americans faced economic, political and social discrimination which impacted their lives negatively: - High unemployment, poverty,...

The Black Power Movement P; Reasons for the emergence of Black Power: African Americans faced economic, political and social discrimination which impacted their lives negatively: - High unemployment, poverty, inferior schooling and housing remained a reality. - Most African Americans in the cities lived in slum housing (inner city ghettoes) and attended under-resourced schools. - Inadequate public transport made it difficult for people to take jobs far from their homes. - In 1967, one third of all black families lived below the government’s poverty level compared to less than 10% of white families. - Inadequate health care resulted in a mortality rate for black babies being twice as high as that of white babies. This lived experience impacted African Americans greatly as they lacked racial PRIDE due to poverty, racial discrimination and oppression. They rejected the idea that black was somehow inferior. Some African Americans were disillusioned with the CRM and believed that MLK Jr was too moderate. They rejected the idea of non-violent protest as they wanted to accelerate the pace of change in the USA. The growth of Black Power coincided with the wave of riots which swept through many US cities between 1965 – 1967. BPM = Assertive, self-reliance, self-determination, racial pride, self-worth, outspoken, believed that using violence was justified if it meant gaining equality. BPM created a sense of black solidarity and a sense of belonging. Black Power Salute symbol. They insisted that African Americans should have power over their own schools, businesses, community services and local government.  They focused on combating centuries of humiliation by demonstrating self- respect and racial pride as well as celebrating the cultural accomplishments of black people around the world. STOKELY CARMICHAEL Stokely Carmichael was originally part of the CRM BUT he became disillusioned when James Meredith (CRM) was shot and wounded on a “Walk against Fear” march in1966. On completion of this march, Carmichael made what has become known as his ‘Black Power’ speech. He said: “We have been saying ‘freedom’ for six years, what we are going to start saying is Black Power’. He believed that the non-violet strategy of the CRM failed because of ongoing violence against African Americans. He promoted and coined slogans like: ‘Black is Beautiful’ Becoming much more confrontational and assertive. BMP and Carmichael advocated: rather than settle for legal rights and integration into white society (outlined by CRM), they demanded the cultural, political, and economic power to strengthen black communities so they could determine their own futures. This attitude of self-determination meant that African Americans should control their own communities/neighbourhoods. Carmichael urged African Americans to take pride in being black, he was in favour of African dress and Afro hairstyles and wanted African Americans to have pride in their African heritage. THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY o Huey Newton and Bobby Seale formed the Black Panther Party for Self Defence (BPP) in 1966. Their goal was to protect African American neighbourhoods from police brutality and racism. o o Their talk of revolution attracted many young African Americans – the jobless and poor as well as college students. They clashed often with the police and a number of leaders were imprisoned or killed. o The Black Panthers said that African Americans should carry guns to defend themselves. They were involved in police shoot-outs in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. o When the state of California attempted to outlaw the carrying of loaded weapons in public, fully armed members of the BPP staged a protest. o BPP provided African Americans with a feeling of security from Police Brutality. It empowered the consciousness of many to realise and fight for their worth and US citizens who were discriminated against. o BPP demanded that Black History be taught in schools. o The BPP instituted programmes to help alleviate poverty in black communities such as: - ‘Free Breakfast for Children’ programme to feed thousands of poor and hungry black children every day. - Clinics where adults and children could get free medical care. - Tutoring scheme to help black learners succeed at school. o The BPP drew up a 10 Point Programme that included the following demands: 1. Full employment and an end to capitalism that disadvantaged the African American community. 2. Decent housing and sound education of African Americas. 3. And end to police brutality. 4. The release of all African Americans held in jail. o BPP therefore supported African American communities, trying to create a system of self-reliance - Promoting the idea that change can come from within Black Communities. o Also promoting self-reliant ideas - that Africa Americans do not have to rely on white Americans to uplift their environments and make the changes – African Americans can be the change! MALCOLM X ▪ Malcolm X was an assertive Black Power speaker and dedicated black nationalist. ▪ Black Nationalism – belief that Black Americans should form their own Nation. ▪ He promoted self-defence against white oppression and argued that bloodshed was necessary for their revolution. ▪ He advocated black separation in order for African American’s to be fully self- reliant, and he believed that separation was necessary so that black people no longer depended on whites. ▪ He taught that white society was deliberately preventing African Americans from empowering themselves and should rather rely on their own ability. ▪ He encouraged PRIDE in cultural roots and African History. ▪ X used his membership in Nation of Islam (NOI) a Black Nationalist group to promote his ideology of Black pride and assertiveness. Short term Gains of the BPM: The more confrontational approach of the BPM led to outbreaks of violence between 1965 and 1969. These race riots highlighted discrimination against African Americans to those in the northern states.  The worst case of violence occurred in 1967 in Newark and Detroit. The response to this violence was that President Johnson appointed a commission in 1968 to investigate the causes of the riots. This commission found that unemployment, poor housing, inadequate schools and police brutality had created a sense of hopelessness and frustration in African American communities. The commission warned that, unless this situation was address, the USA would become ‘two societies, one black and one white – separate and unequal.’ President Johnson set about a programme of reform aimed at eradicating poverty and discrimination. The federal government introduced schemes to improve housing, promote education and training of poorer Americans for new and better jobs. Various self- help schemes were set up in black communities by organisations such as the BPP. Long term Gains of the BPM: The BPM encouraged a sense of black pride. African Americans began to take pride in their heritage by: - Wearing Afro hairstyles. - Demanding the creation of black studies programmes at universities. - Pushing Black Americans BPM taught African Americans to be self-reliant and not to wait for change to come from white governments who stagnated change. BPM created a system of defence (BPP) for African American communities, who struggled with the harsh violence created by police brutality. It challenged African Americans to be assertive and self-reliant - to make change for themselves. Many began to talk openly about racism, injustice and inequality. Black power instilled a feeling of racial pride, self-worth and a sense of belonging in African American communities. BPM encouraged African American’s to become businessmen and were elected into public offices. Malcolm X Angela Davis Fred Hampton Elaine Brown Huey Newton and Bobby Seale