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Development of African American Studies
Malcolm X Influence On Advancing Civil Rights
Malcolm X Influence On Advancing Civil Rights
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Abstract
This document discusses the significance and far reaching nature of Black Nationalism. The focus is on a few key figures that played a role in influencing the growth and development of the fundamentals of Black Nationalism. These figures include Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammad , and Malcolm X. Also, the complexity and a variety of viewpoints on Black Nationalism as a whole are discussed. The focus is placed on the difference between extreme Black Nationalism and more passive manifestations. Lastly, the impact of these events and ideas are considered along with how they influenced American culture and the black community.
Key Ideology and Figures within American Black Nationalism
Introduction
Black Nationalism is a complex,
He is often recognized as the leader of the movement in the early 20th century. His establishment of the UNIA was fundamental in the ever increasing Black Nationalist movement. Garveyism was the name applied to his ideology. Garvey claimed that the whites should be essentially removed from America to Africa and it should be a place where only blacks could rule. Garvey had many other ideas concerning how the African American population should respond to white supremacy. The ideals of the UNIA and Garvey spread like wildfire throughout the urban centers of the north and with high populations of African Americans. Also rural areas of the south that were densely populated with African Americans adopted Garveyism as well (Rollinson,
Understanding the influential leaders and the various distinctions of the idea can help one recognize the vast effects it has had on nearly every aspect of black life. The influences are wide ranging from politics to everyday social life. The ever changing development of the movement and the many groups that were built upon the foundation of the idea has allowed the blacks to come a long way in their achievement of their rights. For instance, Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey would more than likely be astounded to see Barack Obama leading the United States. Unfortunately, recent events such as the Ferguson incident indicate that Black Nationalism may still be alive and well despite not being as prevalent as in the 1960s. In summary, Black Nationalism is a dynamic ideology built on the ideas of many individuals striving for the ultimate goal of a better life for the African American
Before entering into the main body of his writing, Allen describes to readers the nature of the “semicolony”, domestic colonialism, and neocolonialism ideas to which he refers to throughout the bulk of his book. Priming the reader for his coming argument, Allen introduces these concepts and how they fit into the white imperialist regime, and how the very nature of this system is designed to exploit the native population (in this case, transplanted native population). He also describes the “illusion” of black political influence, and the ineffectiveness (or for the purposes of the white power structure, extreme effectiveness) of a black “elite”, composed of middle and upper class black Americans.
In 1930 Wallace D. Fard gave birth to the Nation of Islam movement. He began in Detroit going door to door preaching to black families about his remedy for their problems. He tried replacing their beliefs with his own, for solving their problems. Fard had three main ideas that laid the foundation for his “remedy”. He wanted black separatism, everyone to know that white men are evil (which was not hard for African Americans to believe since the idea already lived within their minds), and to show the inadequacy of Christianity to African Americans. During this period Fard recruited Elijah Poole, changed Elijah’s name to Elijah Muhammad and developed him into his Chief Minister. With the mysterious disappearance of Fard in 1934, Elijah took over the movement. Elijah was born in Sandersville, Georgia in 1897 as the seventh of twelve children. He barely finished the third grade before dropping out to work in the fields to help support his family (Muhammad 1+). During his childhood Elijah witnessed a lynching right before his eyes; different accounts vary on whom he actually saw lynched. In Baldwin’s account in “Down at the Cross,” he says he saw his father lynched befo...
The Nation of Islam, which Malcolm X was an important member of, is not a religious organization as the name suggests but rather an organization whose goal was to make the lives of African Americans better instead of actually teaching the proper ethics of Islam. One of the main objectives of this organization was Black Nationalism, through which Black leaders can control the areas where there is a majority of African Americans. This cause was greatl...
If there was any one man who demonstrated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was Malcolm X. The African American cultural movement of the 1920s lost momentum in the 1930s because of worldwide economic depression. The Great Depression helped to divert attention from cultural to economic matters. Even before the stock market crash of 1929, unemployment and poverty among blacks was exceptionally high. It was under these difficult conditions that Malcolm X experienced his youth in the South. Malcolm X was a very controversial character in his time. He grew up in a very large family. His father hunted rabbits to sell to the white people for money, and his mother stayed home to take care of all the children. Several times when he was young, his family was forced to relocate due to the racist groups that would burn or run them out of their home like the Ku Klux Klan. One of these groups called the Black Legion killed his father by tying him to the railroad tracks. Malcolm’s father had life insurance but was not given to his family because they said that Earl Little had committed suicide. This was quite impossible because his head was bashed in and he tied himself to the railroad. Without his father’s income, Malcolm's family was forced to get government help and food. Applying for this type of assistance brought many white Social Workers into their home. They asked questions and interrogated the entire family. Malcolm’s mother always refused to talk or let them in.
The concepts of Reform and Revolution are nearly polarizing by their very nature, with one seeking to modify, and the other seeking to destroy and rebuild. If an organized Black movement was to find itself in an opportunistic position -whatever that may be- with which to attempt a radical movement (in either case; reform or revolution, the resulting movement would need to be large and radical if it would hope to accomplish its goals before the opportunity for change ceases to present itself) it would only serve to befall their efforts if they found themselves in a splintered state of conflicting ideologies. But, in either case, be it reform or revolution, a reconfiguring of the thought processes behind how one looks at the nature of American politics is undoubtedly necessary in order to look into the potential for future Black liberation.
Harper, Frederick D. “The Influence of Malcolm X on Black Militancy.” Journal of Black Studies 1 (June 1971): 387-402.
Marcus Garvey is known most as the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), which was to get African American’s ready to leave. He wanted them all to return to their “mother land”. Garvey believed that everyone should be in their correct homeland. Garvey also believed in unity of all Negros as a whole, working together. He wanted to better all living and economical condition for the African American race. His views differed from many other African American leaders. Which caused his to be an outcast amongst them. His beliefs and acts is what made him so controversial.
actor, journalist , he published African times and Orient Review. The author states,” it exposed Garvey to the role of African business and the triumphs of Africa's ancestral past” (1992). During his stay in London, he read the autobiography by Booker T Washington called Up from Slavery. This book motivated him to become a race leader. In 1914, Garvey went back home to start an organization called UNIA. The UNIA was established around education, economics, and radical pride. He hoped to open up a college for young black men and women and by helping poor family that are in financial need. The organization motto,” One God! One Aim! One Destiny!”(1992).After a year, the organization had over a one hundred members. In need of funds and support
Ogbar, Jeffrey. Black Power Radical Politics and African American Identity. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP, 2004, 124.
Black Nationalism is chiefly a US political and social movement that was prominent in the 1960’s. The movement sought to acquire economic power and political self-determination, as well as to infuse a sense of community among African Americans. As an alternative to being assimilated by a predominately white nation, black nationalists sought to maintain and promote their separate identity as a people of African ancestry.
Race and religion are two concepts in American culture that can really tie people together, or clearly separate them apart. A group forged by strong common roots in both race and religion can be a powerful societal force, if it wants to be. The Nation of Islam is a small but growing religion in America that has become somewhat of a social movement because of its strong and radical ideas on race. In this paper, I will try to explore the beliefs of the Nation of Islam, and the ramifications it could and has had on racial relations in America. The Nation of Islam, or NOI, is a relatively new religion. The first temple of Islam was established in Detroit by Master Fard Muhammed in 1930. Much of the theology was based on the simple facts that: "Allah is god, the white man is the devil, and the so-called Negroes are the Asiatic black people, the cream of the earth."(1) And, in accordance with their bizarre view of creation, involving a mad scientist creating the white race from the black race, the twentieth century represents the time for black people to regain their rightful position as god¹s chosen people. (1) The Nation of Islam was spawned from Orthodox Islam, an age-old religion. However, Orthodox Islam has openly denounced the NOI as a heretic sect for three main reasons: the NOI¹s rejection of the belief in an afterlife, its tendency to view human leaders as deified figures, and its strong racist attitudes. (2) For a brief time, during the seventies, Wallace Deen Muhammed became the leader of the NOI and tried to take it in a new direction, more conforming to "true Islamic beliefs." This group is now called the American Muslim Mission and still exists in small numbers today. (1) ...
The history of the United States has in it much separation or segregation due to race. For a long time our country has seen racism as a large problem and this has caused ethnic groups to be looked down upon and forced into a lifestyle of difficulties and suppression. Due to this, races, particularly African-Americans, have been forced to deal with unequal opportunity and poverty, leading to less honorable ways of getting by and also organizations that support change. Malcolm X is one strong example of an African American man who became apart of a group acted against it, uniting people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. Malcolm's thoughts towards race and civil right in the previous years were displayed in a less way to the people and "by any means necessary" perspective. After his pilgrimage in 1964 his view of civil rights had quickly changed into a more complete view of civil rights, and the peoples views towards him. No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960's.
Nabrit, James M. Jr. “The Relative Progress and the Negro in the United States: Critical Summary and Evaluation.” Journal of Negro History 32.4 (1963): 507-516. JSTOR. U of Illinois Lib., Urbana. 11 Apr. 2004
The NOI was founded by Wallace D Ford in 1930, with Elijah Mohammed as the “prophet,” later replaced by the more famous. Malcolm X. The Nation of Islam hated white America as much as white America hated them. They are all a lot. They campaigned for equality but segregation to remain. separate, but to gain the same facilities as white people had and not.
Garvey’s idealism was influenced by Booker T. Washington and heavily grounded in traditional patriarchal notions of society. The patriarchal notions of society are: social, economic, political, and religious aspects of life that were controlled by men, making women the submissive gender. Garvey masked the religious undertones of his movement with seemingly radical thoughts of redemption and conversion to become a political force in the black community. His main accomplishment, the UNIA, itself was grounded in these “black church” foundations. With the slogan “One God! One Aim! One Destiny!” the UNIA gave a sense of unity, and self-worth back to blacks, during a time when they felt they had none (Levine 110).