Black Radical Protest

Transcription

1 Black Radical Protest These groups rejected the non-violent approach adopted by Martin Luther King and other nonviolent activists. They believed that desegregation and voting rights did nothing to solve the problems of black Americans living in the cities of the North. Black power emerged as a frustration towards the perceived lack of progress by non-violent methods. Many people lost faith in non-violent actions.

2 March Against Fear, 1966 James Meredith, previously responsible for the end of segregation in universities, began a 200 mile walk from Memphis to Mississippi. Soon after he began, he was shot by a sniper. Meredith survived however, he was unable to complete his march.

3 Emergence of Black Power The outcome of the March Against Fear sparked an obvious divide in the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King believed in Freedom Now and actively encouraged the participation of White Americans. Stokely Carmichael Believed in Black Power and rejected any assistance from White Americans. This caused many Americans to become disillusioned, groups working towards similar goals but divisive methods arguably created further damage to the cause.

4 What is Black Power? Blacks should not rely on whites to grant them civil rights. White support for civil rights was not wanted. Black Americans should build up communities, schools etc. Black Americans should be prepared to defend themselves, using violence if necessary. Non-violent protest was rejected as a failure. They believed in Black first, American second Dismissed Martin Luther King as a tool of the white man Black Americans demanded equality in the eyes of the law Black Power insisted on improvements in housing and education for Black Americans.

5 Criticism of Stokely Carmichael Many believed the Black Power slogan was racist, it turned many White Americans against the Civil Rights Movement. Stokely argued he did not want white sympathy or support. Many militant blacks were attracted to this more aggressive message. Carmichael wanted black political parties, businesses and schools. He used the phrase Black is Beautiful repeatedly.

6 History of Black Power The ideas behind black power were not new, these principles had previously been established by Malcolm X. Malcolm X was so-called as he had rejected his white surname Little. Many African Americans used letters to symbolise their surnames to represent their stolen identities. Malcolm X converted to the Islamic faith while he was in prison.. His religion was called the Nation of Islam or Black Muslims. Malcolm X was a very charismatic and articulate speaker, he was actively opposed to the teachings of MLK. Malcolm X did not support integration, he wanted a separate society from White Americans. Malcolm X described the American Dream as an American Nightmare for Black Americans. He believed the idea of the American Dream only applied to White Americans.

7 Malcolm X rejected help from Whites, he described them as wolves in sheep s clothes. Malcolm X split from the Black Muslims in 1964 and this prompted a change in his attitudes; he conceded some white people were sincere and that it was possible for black and white Americans to cooperate. In Feb 1965, X was murdered by 3 members of the Nation of Islam. During his activism Malcolm X chose to highlight the problems of American cities, not just problems in the South. Malcolm X believed that the cities were riddled with problems; crime, prostitution, drugs and unemployment. He predicted violence would erupt and in the summer of 1965 in LA, he would proved correct.

8 Watts, LA, 1965 The population of Watts was approximately 98% black however, the police force was almost exclusively white. There were many problems in the area; slum housing, high rents, unemployment, poverty and hunger. In addition urban gangs and drug violence were also on the increase. Many black Americans were frustrated by the way they were treated and this sparked massive riots. The riots lasted for 6 days, left 34 dead, 900 wounded and 4000 arrested.

9 Reaction to the riots MLK was upset by the riots as they happened only a few days after the Voting Rights Act became law. Many people believed that the achievements of MLK were worthless. With no jobs or money the issues of voting rights and segregation seemed irrelevant. Riots spread throughout the 1960 s and the cost of the damage spiralled. A federal investigation reported that the riots were linked to social and economic problems; few jobs, few schools and a lack of basic sanitation.

10 The Black Panthers The Black Panthers were one of the most radical protest groups. The organisation was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in The Black Panthers supported the separatist ideas of Stokely Carmichael. (Carmichael later joined the BP) They were prepared to use violence and saw the police as the enemy of black communities. Although the Black Panthers has a very negative, threatening public image, they were also involved in local community programs. Examples include free breakfasts for children, free health clinics and drug and crime prevention campaigns. The Black Panthers demanded: Full employment for all Better housing Honest education End to police brutality Fair trials black jurors for black people. The Black Panthers were effective as they provided a shock factor however, only 2000 members at its height. The Black Panthers were too radical for many Americans.

11 King and the Cities MLK had achieved a great deal of change in the southern states of USA however, he was concerned that if he did not begin to address the problems in Northern cities, people would lose faith in non-violent action. Many in the cities believed King s ideas were outdated and not as effective as the black power message. New York and Philadelphia went as far as requesting King to not visit their cities. Mayor Daley of Chicago however, welcomed his intervention. Chicago was a very divided city and King believed if he could make a difference in Chicago people, would be more likely to pursue non-violent methods of protest.

12 King and Chicago King chose to pursue one key issue and use this as his focus for improvement. The issue he chose was housing. In Chicago there were approximately 800,000 black Americans, most of whom were based in two large ghetto areas of the city. King attempted to raise awareness and gain public support, tactics that had proved successful in the South. However, King was disturbed by the extent of the backlash from white racists. The March failed and seemed to reinforce the belief the King was outdated and actually attracted more people to the idea of black power. King also lost credibility with President Johnson, previously a supporter of King. King publicly denounced the Vietnam War due to cost and the use of many black men. The loss of Presidential support seemed to damage King s reputation further.

13 Memphis, 1968 The Assassination of Martin Luther King King was shot and killed in Memphis in It seems his death marked the official end of non-violent protest. His death sparked riots in 168 cities. Riots in Detroit in 1967 were so severe that it prompted an investigation, the Kerner Commission. The report revealed shocking details: America was divided into two societies, one black and poor and the other rich and white. 40% of all black Americans lived in poverty Black men were twice as likely to be unemployed Black men were 3x more likely to be in low skilled jobs Riots and crime were caused by poverty.