Black Power (Improvements)

Question 1

How did African Americans gain from the Black Power movement

Answer 1

• Black power gave the black community a greater
  sense of pride and confidence in their race and its
  culture
• Black literature, music, theatre, fashion and food flourished during the 1970s as a result of the
  confidence and pride built from Black Power
• The extremity of Black Power, actually increased the support for the moderate voices in the Civil
  Rights Movement such as MLK – which in turn led to greater enforcement of Civil Rights legislation -
  The Federal Government feared widescale violence in a time of heightened cold war fears

Question 2

How did NAI gain from the Black Power movement

Answer 2

• Militant protests of AIM follow immediately on from militant protests in civil rights movement
• NA inspired to forget tribal divisions by the unity of the Black Power movement.

• See growing frustration amongst younger NA and an abandonment of legislative and peaceful protest in
favour of an increasing number of militant protests.

• AIM mirrored Black Powers mass appeal amongst younger generations.
• ‘Red Power’ copies ‘Black Power’

• Encouraged pride in race and cultural identity.

Question 3

How did Trade Unions and Labour rights benefit from the Black Power movement

Answer 3

• Movement encouraged the abandonment of any practices which could be considered racist.
 Membership discrimination

• Helped focus efforts towards improving conditions of poverty amongst poor AA workers. This may have
influenced President Johnson’s policy of ‘Great Society’, which aimed to reduce the numbers who lived
below the poverty line

• Influence positive legislation
 Economic opportunities Act 1964 - funds were provided to train people and increase their employment
opportunities

• The movement may also have encouraged later presidential action, such as Nixon’s policy of affirmative
action
• Provided practical help to AA who lived in the ghettos and kept issue of ghettos on the political agenda.

Question 4

How did women gain from the Black Power movement

Answer 4

• Black Movement encouraged black women to be proud of their culture and heritage
• By the 1970s, 2/3rd of the Black Power membership was female – most of the men had been imprisoned
  or killed
• 2nd most important member of the leadership was Elaine Brown – Safiyah Bukhari led the armed units
• Women often trained alongside the men
• Important as local leaders in various organisations
• Took part in community initiatives that span off from Black Power and these initiatives often supported
  African American women in education, health care, legal battles and housing
• In theory, women stood alongside men equally with the slogan ‘revolutionary first – sister second’ – it
  inspired women to be active in political activity and direct action
• The impact of the Black Power had a broader impact which allowed the development of a broader politics
  which questions established cultural norms – this was beyond just race – for example wider social
  attitudes, discrimination, increasing pride in heritage and culture, all of these led to an expansion of gender
  politics and second wave feminism
• Government had to address the discriminatory attitudes that were inherent in the political system