The black power movement
Reasons for emergence?
• people in the North felt no benefit from the Civil Right Movement and felt
that it was moving too slow
• poverty in the North, people lived in ghettos- drugs, gangs, overcrowding, bad
facilities, lack of decent schools, unemployment
• it asked African Americans to re-imagine themselves
• against structural racism that was built into society, environment,
institutions…
• an attempt to create a strong racial ID for African Americans, encouraged
separation from white society for blacks to create their own institutions and
promote themselves
• stressed solidarity with Africa
• MLK was worried that it focused too much on the negative side of achieving
black power and didn’t campaign for inclusive and integrated society
• Many African Americans felt that the CRM didn’t go far enough to right the
wrongs the black people experienced.
• Black ghetto areas were strictly controlled by police, police brutality was rife
which sparked big riots
• Supporters believed that a more positive, confrontational and if necessary
more violent approach was needed to achieve justice
• Challenge against capitalism, rejecting imperialism
what does black power mean?
• Excluded whites, wanted black people in power
• More aggressive and militant movement
• Promoted black nationalism- going back to Africa where ancestors were slaves
• More Marxist/ socialist in outlook
• Slogans “black is beautiful”(encouraged people to be proud of themselves,
challenged white beauty standards), “black power”, “black pride”(celebration
of self)
• New ideas:
o Self-reliance (lead themselves, freedom from white authority)
o Black nationalism (must return to Africa and be separate to whites)
o New cultural notions like ‘soul’ (a unique ID)
o Afro, music, clothes, greetings
• SNCC was first party to leave CRM and MLK passivism
• Necessity for blacks to define world in own terms
Reasons for emergence?
• people in the North felt no benefit from the Civil Right Movement and felt
that it was moving too slow
• poverty in the North, people lived in ghettos- drugs, gangs, overcrowding, bad
facilities, lack of decent schools, unemployment
• it asked African Americans to re-imagine themselves
• against structural racism that was built into society, environment,
institutions…
• an attempt to create a strong racial ID for African Americans, encouraged
separation from white society for blacks to create their own institutions and
promote themselves
• stressed solidarity with Africa
• MLK was worried that it focused too much on the negative side of achieving
black power and didn’t campaign for inclusive and integrated society
• Many African Americans felt that the CRM didn’t go far enough to right the
wrongs the black people experienced.
• Black ghetto areas were strictly controlled by police, police brutality was rife
which sparked big riots
• Supporters believed that a more positive, confrontational and if necessary
more violent approach was needed to achieve justice
• Challenge against capitalism, rejecting imperialism
what does black power mean?
• Excluded whites, wanted black people in power
• More aggressive and militant movement
• Promoted black nationalism- going back to Africa where ancestors were slaves
• More Marxist/ socialist in outlook
• Slogans “black is beautiful”(encouraged people to be proud of themselves,
challenged white beauty standards), “black power”, “black pride”(celebration
of self)
• New ideas:
o Self-reliance (lead themselves, freedom from white authority)
o Black nationalism (must return to Africa and be separate to whites)
o New cultural notions like ‘soul’ (a unique ID)
o Afro, music, clothes, greetings
• SNCC was first party to leave CRM and MLK passivism
• Necessity for blacks to define world in own terms
