Lecture 12/3 & 12/5 (Malcolm's problem & solution and Jesse Jackson)

Question 1

The Problem: White Racism

Answer 1

a. Not economic, social, or anything else. It was white racism

b. Whites were inherently racist, and white people couldn’t escape from it.
i. No spectrum from deeply racist to good hearted, all whites were racist.

c. Once he made his trip to Mecca, he began to change his views on Islam, may or maybe not that transformed his view on whites, we just won’t know, because of his death nearly after.
d. Enemy of black people all around the world was the white man and white racism

Question 2

The Solution: Reject the Civil Rights Movement: Moral Appeal

Answer 2

1. King thought all people had the capacity for goodness
2. Malcolm thought the audience was morally bankrupt
   a. Can’t change his mind, Uncle Sam doesn’t know what morals are

Question 3

The Solution: Reject the Civil Rights Movement: Integration

Answer 3

1. King thought the races will be intertwined on a path of destiny
2. Malcolm said integration was not possible
   a. Whites were inherently racist and wouldn’t actually happen
   b. Whites wouldn’t move in to black neighborhoods like black people would move into white neighborhoods
   i. Shouldn’t be closer to your oppressors
   c. Wasn’t sufficient atonement for 400 years of pain and suffering
   i. Sitting next to whites in a restaurant or sharing a cup of coffee doesn’t pay for 400 years of suffering

Question 4

The Solution: Reject the Civil Rights Movement: Non-violence

Answer 4

1. Non-violence didn’t work, and brought about only minimal gains
   a. Dependent on appealing to the moral sides of whites but that doesn’t work when whites are morally bankrupt
   b. A man with a rifle or a club can only be stop by someone defending themselves with rifle or a club
2. Non-violence was degrading to the black race
   a. Not manly to respond to oppression with non-violence
   b. Perpetuates the tradition of slavery
   c. A race needs self-respect and you don’t get that by taking a beating and turning the cheek
   d. A cowardly act

Question 5

The Solution: Reject the Civil Rights Movement: Coalition with whites

Answer 5

1. If whites were inherently racist, what would black people gain from working with whites
   a. What could you take at face value?
   i. Everything that comes out their mouth was to trick black people
   ii. Opposes supporting the democratic party
2. They take your votes but don’t change anything
3. You put them first, they put you last
   iii. Ballot or the Bullet
4. They have the power to change if they wanted to.
5. They have the vote

Question 6

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Political

Answer 6

1. Black people should control the politics of their own community
2. Not throwing away black votes on white leaders
   a. Especially leaders who dilly dally and do nothing about the current state of racism

Question 7

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Economic

Answer 7

1. They should control the economy of their own community
2. Establishing black banks
   a. Keeping black money within the black community
3. Provide better neighborhoods, businesses, and a better climate of life

Question 8

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Social

Answer 8

1. They should take control of improving their own community
2. Remove the evils that are destroying the moral fiber of their community
3. “We must take pride in the Afro-American community” and take control of self-improvement (Most African American leaders at some point emphasized self-improvement of the African American race.)

Question 9

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Racial Separation

Answer 9

1. NOI nor Malcolm were seeking integration, they were seeking separate and powerful black institution
2. Malcolm says the difference between racial separation and racial segregation is
   a. segregation is the separation by force of one race imposing separation upon another race.
   b. Separation is willingly removing a race from another as equals
3. Opportunity to build racial pride

Question 10

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Racial Pride

Answer 10

1. Most important part of Malcolm’s rhetoric
2. Saw black people as psychologically and spiritually oppressed as well as economically, social, and political
   a. Been brainwashed to think everything white is good and pure while everything black is bad and degraded
   b. Opposing products degrading to the race such as hair straighteners
3. Restore a sense of pride in black history
   a. Especially in African civilizations
   b. History is a people’s memory, and a people without a sense of history is like a tree without roots
   c. Must recapture their heritage if they want to break the bonds from white supremacy
   i. Their history in America has been a life of slavery so they must look to Africa

Question 11

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Retaliatory Violence

Answer 11

1. It was time for black people to stand up to white violence
2. Can’t achieve freedom by singing “we shall overcome”  anthem of the civil rights movement
3. “A man with a rifle or a club can only be stopped by a person who defends himself with a rifle or a club.”
4. Every person has the right to self defense
5. Never called for random, or general violence. Or for a race war
   a. Talk about violence as part of the natural right to self-defense
   b. Referred to the attack on Pearl Harbor
6. Symbolic importance
   a. Significant aspect of racial pride
   b. Cannot cringe in the face of violence from your oppressors
   c. Can’t keep turning the cheek and retain your pride
7. Malcolm was not a violent person and did not encourage violence against whites
   a. Didn’t want people to do something illegal, but to stand up for themselves
   b. Gather and diffuse, like in the end of the first half of the Malcolm X movie

Question 12

The Solution: Affirms Black Nationalism: Civil Rights to Human Rights

Answer 12

1. Well represented in the Ballot or the Bullet speech
2. If you’re calling for civil rights, you’re appealing to the government which are led by white leaders and institution
   a. Futile to ask your oppressors for your freedom
3. Human rights broaden past the US, and speaks on a global scale
   a. Turn your attention from the United States to the United Nations
   i. They have a charter for human rights, they deal with violations of human rights
   ii. Take the US and put them in front of the world tribunal

Question 13

Jesse Jackson: Development of a Race Leader: Upbringing and Education (1941-1963)

Answer 13

i. Born in Greenville, SC
ii. Involved in his local Baptist church

iii. Went to the University of Illinois on a football scholarship
1. Was told black players couldn’t play QB
2. Jackson withdrew from UI
3. Ended up at Chicago Theological Seminary and had great success there

Question 14

Jesse Jackson: Development of a Race Leader: Civil Rights Activist (1963-1973)

Answer 14

i. Involved in the early sit-ins as a participant and organizer
ii. Gained state-wide recognition

iii. Worked for MLK’s organization (SCLC)
1. Rose through the ranks
2. Was named director of the operation “Bread Basket” in the SCLC
3. Was with King when he was assassinated
a. Remained with SCLC for the next 3.5 years

Question 15

Jesse Jackson: Development of a Race Leader: Emergence as a National Figure (1973-1983)

Answer 15

i. Partly because of the SCLC
ii. Traveled past the U.S.
iii. Lectured to black students daily and encourage them on self-success and empowerment

Question 16

Jesse Jackson: Development of a Race Leader: Presidential Canidate (1983-1988)

Answer 16

i. Said he was thinking of running on the Democratic ticket, got a huge success in the primaries gaining 21% of the vote, but didn’t go further.

ii. Ran again in 88’
1. Speech he gave at the convention was primetime
2. Was single highest rated speech in democratic speeches that year
3. Won the democratic primary in Michigan by a land-slide

Question 17

Jesse Jackson: Development of a Race Leader: African-American Spokesman (1989-2008)

Answer 17

i. Most sought after, interview, revered African American spokesman in the U.S. at the time
ii. Since 2008, when Barack was nominated, Jackson lost significance.

Question 18

Preaching Politics: Jackson as an Orator (1988 DNC speech): Centrality of the Civil Rights Movement

Answer 18

i. Talks about various figures

ii. Moving from racial battlegrounds and economic common ground to higher moral grounds
1. Glorious day in the future when we have surpassed racial and economic battlegrounds

iii. No doubt, because he was so close to MLK, he would say that the CRM was a success
1. Jackson would agree that it brought them closer to prosperity but not at it.

Question 19

Preaching Politics: Jackson as an Orator (1988 DNC speech): A Rhetoric of Inclusion

Answer 19

i. One of the first to do so

ii. Rainbow Coalition
1. U.S. is like a rainbow, made up of many colors all bound together
2. Must come together like the quilts that his grandmother made when he was growing up
a. Each groups’ patches aren’t big enough alone, but when sown together, they create something strong, powerful, and full of culture and diversity
b. Once they create that quilt, they can solve America’s problems together
3. Trying to be vastly supportive of all groups

Question 20

Preaching Politics: Jackson as an Orator (1988 DNC speech): Self-Respect and Self-Reliance

Answer 20

i. Particularly for African-Americans
1. Visited African-American schools preaching to kids to stay away from drugs and focus on school and work towards advancement of their lives.