The History Of Black Nationalism

Jocelyn Thomas
RE297J
Final Paper
1/26/2014
By Any (Moral?) Means Necessary

The history of the African-American struggle against the forces of racism and oppression is a long and complex one. It dates back to when the first groups of Africans were forced to the Americas against their will. A tragedy most aptly described when Malcolm X proclaimed, “We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock; the rock was landed on us (X, Malcolm). Since that point in history, over four hundred years ago, Black people in the United States have been fighting to escape the holds of White supremacy. Leaders such as Frederick Douglas, W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and many others each fought to win back the dignity and pride that had been stripped of their black brothers and sisters at the hands of racial inequality. This fight has continued on for centuries, and has employed many different methods in the quest for equality. One method in particular, stands alone as notorious in its advocacy for Black pride and power: Black Nationalism.
Black Nationalism is a term that the majority of Americans have heard of before, but there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings regarding the concept. An easy place to begin is to define the tenets of Black Nationalism. Ray Block Jr. writes, “Black nationalism,” is a political and social system, “which emphasizes racial solidarity, self-definition, self-reliance, and self-determination,”
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(Block 27). The notoriety of Black Nationalism stemmed from the controversy it caused when compared to Dr. Kings methods of nonviolence. Dr. King and his goals for an integrated society came to be considered the best and most moral options for the black struggle against white supremacy. Black Nationalists, esp...

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... no means of escaping their poverty. Black Nationalism provided cultural enrichment, social uplift, and political literacy to a group of people who had been cast aside and forgotten. Although, it is often remember as a belief system obscured by turmoil and dissidence, Black Nationalism, at its heart was created as a means of community outreach and support. Van Horne writes, “Black power is thus a most beautiful concept,” he continues by saying, “the ultimate values and goals [of Black Power] are not domination or exploitation of other groups, but rather an effective share in the total power of the society [since] there can be no social order without social justice,” (Vanhorne 374). Those who argue that Black Nationalism is at its root evil, have done themselves a great disservice in failing to see the underlying inclusiveness of this great sociopolitical movement.