Pages 47-48 of USA A5 booklet (Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement) Flashcards
What was black nationalism?
Black nationalism was a movement which rejected the non-violence of the civil rights movement and felt that force was necessary in order to achieve equality for black Americans.
Who did the Nation of Islam attract?
The Nation of Islam attracted some black Americans who were frustrated with the lack of progress by the peaceful protest movement.
Who headed the Nation of Islam?
Elijah Muhammad.
Who was a member of the Nation of Islam?
One famous member was the boxer Cassius Clay who changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
Who was another member of the Nation of Islam?
Another follower of the movement was Malcolm Little who became known as Malcolm X.
Why was Malcolm X critical of Martin Luther King’s methods?
Malcolm X was critical of MLK’s methods and believed the civil rights movement was holding black Americans back.
What did Malcolm X want to create?
Malcolm X wanted to create a separate black state in the USA and use force if necessary.
When was Malcolm X assassinated?
Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965.
What is the SNCC and when was it set up?
The Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee was set up in 1960.
What happened to the SNCC from 1966?
From 1966, the SNCC became more radical when back student Stokely Carmichael was elected chairman.
What did Carmichael talk abou?
Carmichael talked about ‘black power’ and was critical of the actions of Martin Luther King.
What did Carmichael say about the USA?
He said “[The USA] is racist from top to bottom and does not function by morality, love and non-violence, but by power.”
Which group was even more radical Stokely Carmichael?
The Black Panthers was even more radical than Stokely Carmichael.
Who were the Black Panthers?
They had 2000 members, were a political party and also a small, private army.
What did the Black Panthers believe?
They believed that black Americans should arm themselves and force the whites to give them equal rights.
What many members of the police did the Black Panthers kill?
They clashed with police forces many times and killed 9 police officers between 1967-69.
When were the race riots?
Between 1965-67.
Where were the race riots of 1965-67?
Surprisingly, these riots didn’t take place in the southern states where many blacks still faced discrimination, but were in the northern states where there were large black populations and which were officially ‘free of racism’.
Why did most of the race riots start?
Most of the race riots started due a poor relations between the police and black Americans.
How were many cities still divided?
Many cities in the north were still divided along racial lines (i.e. blacks and whites didn’t often live near to each other).
Who mostly made up the police force, how did this make blacks feel?
Most of the police were whites and working-class blacks didn’t feel as though they had the same protection from crime as whites did.
Which were the 2 most serous riots?
The 2 most serious riots were the Watts Riots in Los Angeles and the Detroit riots.
When were the Watts riots in Los Angeles?
The Watts riots in Los Angeles were in 1965.
When were the riots in Detroit?
The riots in Detroit were in July 1967.
