Civil Rights Movement and Black Nationalism Essay

Words: 1210
Pages: 5
Open Document
English 1302.044
March 3, 2000
Militant and Violent Acts of the Civil Rights Movement and Black Nationalism The rights of African-Americans have been violated since they were brought over to America as slaves in the late 1600's to the land of the free. Great political gains for African-Americans were made in the 1960's such as the right to vote without paying. Still, many African Americans were dissatisfied with their economic situation, so they reacted with violence in the form of riots. Other African-Americans became frustrated with the system of "white" America; hence they turned to militant organizations that stressed black power. Many people believe that violence or militant actions solve their problems, but in reality the …show more content…
The Black Power advocates expelled white members from some civil rights organizations because they believed that the white people could not be trusted. Nor did the Black Power movement want anything to do with African-Americans that were economically successful, had degrees in higher education, or already living within the white middle class and above. "The black man in the ghetto has one big advantage that the bourgeois Negro does not have despite his ‘superior' education. He is already living outside the value system white society imposes on all black Americans" (Civil Rights 282-85).
Whereas the earlier basis of the civil rights movement focused on love and unity between the races, the militant black power movement sprung from hatred of white society and packaged along with it the "white man's religion" of Christianity. "We must fill ourselves with hate for all white things . . . We have to learn to ridicule the black man who says he worships the white Jesus. He is truly sick" (Civil Rights 283-84). The consequences of the Black Power movement set the civil rights movement of African Americans back because of its policies. "We must copy the white man's biggest trick, diversion, (Hitler taught them that) and infiltrate all civil rights groups, keep them in confusion so they will be neutralized and cannot be used as a tool of the white
Show More

Related Documents: Civil Rights Movement and Black Nationalism Essay

Compare And Contrast Martin Luther King And Macolm X

has been a long fought battle that still exists to this day. Men like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama have distinguished them selves as leaders, not only for civil rights, but also for a nation of millions. Though many of their goals are the same, some differentiate. Malcolm X believed in Black Nationalism while President Obama preaches of hope and unity. King and Obama both believe in ending wars and striving for peace amid times of tension and hostility. Although some of their…

Words 1691 - Pages 7

Essay about Malcolm X

on April 3, 1964. It speaks about how blacks should fight for civil-rights in America. He emphasizes the importance of voting as a solution to ending discrimination against Blacks. He addresses both the poor voting decisions and also the denial of legitimate voting rights to Blacks. Because elections had been so narrowly decided in recent elections, the Black vote is the deciding factor in elections. When candidates promise to pass favorable legislation, Blacks must hold them accountable in elections…

Words 399 - Pages 2

MLK And Malcolm X: The African American Civil Rights Movement

This is one of the many tactics non-violent protesting tactics that Martin Luther King Jr. used to arise issues in Americans civil rights. However, this was not the only strategy, Malcolm X, another key civil rights activist, used self defense as his main way of getting civil rights back. While MLK and Malcolm X were leaders of the African American civil rights movement, their strategies…

Words 912 - Pages 4

Black Power Essay

Black Power Summary Black Power was originally a political slogan by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in mid-1960s, aiming at developing internal cohesion in the black community and advocating for the presence of black voices in American politics. Black Power has been applied to many African American related ideologies, for instance, Black Nationalism. However, organization leaders had different interpretations of black power and approaches to realize the political and social goals…

Words 322 - Pages 2

Comparing MLK And Malcolm X

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, both important spearheads to the civil rights movement of the mid 20th century, were both very different people with very different ideas on how to achieve the common goal of racial equality. Growing up in different areas with different families and religious beliefs may have played a role in their differing views, but their ideas would converge later in life. As previously mentioned, MLK and Malcolm X grew up very differently and this affected their views and…

Words 647 - Pages 3

Civil Rights Movement Test

Civil Rights Movement Test- Possible IDs Black Codes: southern state laws enacted after the Civil War that greatly restricted black mobility, economic opportunity and political expression. Lawmakers barred blacks from attending white schools, marrying whites, testifying in court, having a gun, or owning property. Southern states rewrote their constitution to separate the races from birth to burial. Booker T. Washington/Tuskegee Institute: He believed in assimilating within the overwhelming…

Words 392 - Pages 2

Three Causes Of The Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement took place in the United States from 1954 to 1968. A time period where African Americans were being treated unequally and poorly. Civil resistances and much more constantly through towns of inequality and major campaigns. This went on until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was passed, but what really caused the Civil Rights movement of that time? There were at least three causes: The Montgomery Bus Boycott, Freedom Summer, and the rise of black nationalism. The Montgomery…

Words 405 - Pages 2

What Is Malcolm X's Philosophy Of Black Nationalism

Malcolm’s approach to it was that blacks should just focus on creating and developing their own business. In document 6 Malcolm says “The philosophy of Black Nationalism puts the burden upon the black man of learning how to control his own economy”. What he's saying is African Americans should focus on our own businesses. While Martin Luther King felt we should just…

Words 777 - Pages 4

Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet

most influential civil rights activist during the 20th century. And on April 3rd, 1964 X broadcasted one of his most influential speeches “The Ballot or The Bullet”, which had over roughly two thousand people at a lost for words. In this presentation X discussed the innumerable obstacles that blacks faced every day living in America, and he wanted encourage other blacks to unite and fight racial inequality. Blacks didn’t have a lot of say in who to vote for and had little to no rights and were treated…

Words 819 - Pages 4

Afro Essay

amendment. This decree was issued in the midst of the American Civil War as a war tactic to create turmoil in the South. Following the Union’s victory, Lincoln was forced to find ways to assimilate African Americans into a new American society. The addition of the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution granted all people born in the United States full citizenship, including the right to vote and run for office, and that these rights could not be taken away based on an individual’s race (The Constitution)…

Words 1323 - Pages 6