The USA Conflict Home and Abroad: 2.3 Flashcards
Malcolm X and Black Power, 1963-70
1
Q
Describe Malcom X’s early life, from his birth to joining the NOI (Nation of Islam)
A
- born 1925 as Malcolm Little
- grew up in Michigan (north America)
[] significant as the nature of racism was very different between the north and south and required different approaches - father murdered in 1931 by the KKK
[] mother had mental breakdown
[] Malcolm and his siblings were put in foster homes - 1946 (age 21), Malcolm imprisoned for burglary
[] reflected on his life and joined the NOI whilst in prison
2
Q
Describe the beliefs and aims of the NOI (Nation of Islam)
A
- was a Muslim religious organisation, and so held many Muslim values and beliefs
- championed black nationalism (the want to create a black nation)
[] didn’t believe in working with white people for integration, as white people were said to hold black people back and would never view them as true equals
[] until a black state was created, black Americans should press for black equality and equal facilities, but not integration - did not believe in non-violence like the southern black churches and King
3
Q
Describe Malcolm X’s effect on the NOI and the beginning of his career as a civil rights activist
A
- by 1963, had raised NOI membership from 500 to 30 000
[] showed that Malcolm X was a powerful speaker, and that his sentiments of rejecting non-violence and championing black nationalism were shared by a lot of young black people, especially those living in ghettoes and northern cities
[] meant that most members of the NOI joined because of Malcolm X and were likely more loyal to him than the NOI itself - caused jealousy amongst the original leaders of the NOI - became the spokesperson of the NOI and increased support and focus on black nationalism in the NOI
4
Q
Explain why Malcolm X left the NOI in 1964
A
- Elijah Mohammed (leader of the NOI) confessed to Malcolm X that he had several affairs and children within those affairs, and needed help covering it up
[] NOI leaders were supposed to be holy and lead good lives
[] Malcolm X left the NOI after he became disillusioned with them
5
Q
What was the name of Malcolm X’s Muslim organisation that he established after leaving the NOI in 1964 ?
A
Muslim Mosque Inc. (MMI)
6
Q
Describe Malcolm X’s political beliefs before and after his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964
A
- before:
[] championed black nationalism
[] speeches were full of violent language, and he advocated for black people to actively fight back against any white violence
[] openly criticised non-violent activists like Martin Luther King for trying to work with white people for black progress in civil rights
[] refused meetings with white politicians and refused white help; his political campaigns were extremely unfriendly to white supporters and generated some white resentment
[] shared many of the northern black frustrations with the government and current system of civil rights campaign BECAUSE NORTHERN WHITE RACISTS WERE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE EXTREME REACTIONS THAT GARNERED PUBLICITY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNLIKE IN THE SOUTH - after:
[] was more open to integration and help from white people/politicians
7
Q
Why did Malcolm X’s pilgrimage to Mecca, 1964, shift his political beliefs so drastically ?
A
saw many Muslims of all ethnic backgrounds being peaceful with one another and getting along as equals; made him believe that true equality in integrated society WAS possible
8
Q
Describe Malcolm X’s activism after his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964
A
- set up the Organisation of African American Unity (OAAU) to work with other civil rights groups like SNCC and CORE
[] held meetings with civil rights groups that had significant white membership - X’s previous supporters from when he criticised activism like this rejected this shift
[] after his assassination, many people focused on his early beliefs and criticism of non-violence, showing the widespread northern black frustration with the slow-moving speed of progress
9
Q
Describe Malcolm X’s assassination
A
- ever since his shift in beliefs (1964) and leaving the NOI, taking a significant portion of the members with him, the NOI tried to kill Malcolm X many times
[] had firebombed his house many times before
[] had to travel everywhere with bodyguards
[] slept with a gun next to his bed and grew increasingly paranoid as time went on - 21 February 1965
[] was making speech in New York when 3 NOI members rushed him on stage and shot him dead - 15 000 attended his funeral on the 27th February
10
Q
What was the Black Power movement, and what were its beliefs/values
A
- black nationalism
- rejecting white help in favour of black people relying on themselves for true social change
- rejected non-violence and many Black Power leaders used militant language
- were largely inspired by Malcolm X’s early beliefs
- encouraged celebration of black culture, black appearance and so on, as Malcolm X had done by changing his surname to X to represent his original (lost) tribal surname
- talked of social revolution
11
Q
Who (demographically speaking) were the most avid supporters of the Black Power movement and why ?
A
- poor black people living in the ghettoes in northern cities
[] Black Power campaigns were largely focused on local issues and made life better for the poor in the ghettoes - young black people
[] had seen older black people growing tired of the lack of progress due to non-violent direct action
[] with a new generation came new, more militant ideas than their predecessors
12
Q
Describe the key features that contributed towards the growth of the Black Power movement in the 60s
A
- Black Power encouraged black pride and self-belief
[] encouraged people to demand equality from white people and politicians
[] encouraged people to defend themselves, not to simply take white violence in the hopes that people would react to it - Black Power movements produced tangible results, unlike many non-violent campaigns
[] the Black Panthers are a significant example of this - people began to grow frustrated with the lack of tangible progress via using non-violent direct action
[] the lack of enforcement of rights given by the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act meant that little actually changed in the lives of many black people - the civil rights movement began to lose traction, and needed more drastic action to gain attention again
[] non-violent protesters like King began to turn attention towards poverty and the Vietnam War, and the country in general lost sight of civil rights in deference to the Vietnam War - anger at continuing and even worsening problems, like horrible living conditions and high rent in ghettoes, and discrimination in work and education throughout the USA made people impatient for change
13
Q
Who was Stokely Carmichael and what did he do for Black Power ?
A
- SNCC member
- set up the Lowndes County Freedom Organisation (political party); the logo was a panther
[] many black people registered to vote by SNCC had no parties that actually cared about black rights to vote for, so the LCFO was set up in response
[] was the first time that the black panther became a symbol of Black Power - became chairman of SNCC in 1966
[] introduced more new members who believed in Black Power
[] started more SNCC campaigns in the north to improve ghetto conditions
14
Q
Describe the significance of the March Against Fear, June 1966
A
- led by James Meredith initially
[] march ran through Mississippi and protested the violence against southern black people
[] Meredith was shot on the second day, and Carmichael and King stepped in to fill his spot - King urged non-violence, but Carmichael’s speeches conflicted this by championing Black Power and using militant language, which swept black supporters massively in his direction
[] significant, as signalled the gradual loss in King’s power and leadership of the civil rights movement
[] demonstrated the difference in attitudes to civil rights in the north vs. the south, and which tactics worked in either place - Carmichael’s Black Power speeches meant that CORE and SNCC both became more focused on Black Power initiatives
[] CORE and SNCC lost most of their original black members who disagreed with the newfound militancy
[] CORE and SNCC lost most of their white userbase due to the shift to Black Power and thus becoming unwelcoming to white help
15
Q
Describe the significance of the Mexico Olympics, 1968, for the growth of the Black Power movement
A
- the black American 200m runners who won bronze and gold gave the Black Power salute (raised, clenched fist) whilst receiving their medals; the US national anthem was in the background
[] many American spectators booed them, shouted racist comments and threw things at them
[] the publicity of the event showed Americans to not be supportive of Black Power in the international eye
[] inspired many younger black Americans to break away from the beliefs of their parents and join the Black Power movement, or at least to use its confrontational tactics more often
[] Smith and Carlos (the athletes) were nationally condemned and suspended from the US’ Olympic team
16
Q
Where was the first Black Panther group established ?
A
California
17
Q
Who founded the first Black Panther group and when ?
A
- October 1966
- Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale
18
Q
What were the beliefs and aims of the Black Panthers ?
A
- believed in integration and were open to accepting help from white people who shared their beliefs unlike other Black Power groups
[] this relative friendliness to white people made them more popular and thus had the power to negotiate with white politicians
[] HOWEVER, their militancy scared off a lot of white people from joining or openly supporting them - each Panther group had a 10-point programme:
[] wanted freedom to run the black community
[] wanted an end to black unemployment
[] wanted an end to unfairly high rent from white landlords in ghettoes
[] wanted decent housing from white landlords in ghettoes
[] wanted good education for black children and a curriculum that taught black history in detail
[] wanted all black men to “be free from serving in the military forces”
[] wanted an end to police brutality
[] wanted freedom for black people unfairly imprisoned
[] wanted all-black juries for trials of black people
[] wanted overall justice and peace for the black community in integrating with white society
19
Q
Explain the Black Panthers’ 10 point programme
A
- the 10-point programme expressed the Black Panthers’ desires and aims for bettering the lives of the black community in northern ghettoes:
[] wanted freedom to run the black community
[] wanted an end to black unemployment
[] wanted an end to unfairly high rent from white landlords in ghettoes
[] wanted decent housing from white landlords in ghettoes
[] wanted good education for black children and a curriculum that taught black history in detail
[] wanted all black men to “be free from serving in the military forces”
[] wanted an end to police brutality
[] wanted freedom for black people unfairly imprisoned
[] wanted all-black juries for trials of black people
[] wanted overall justice and peace for the black community in integrating with white society
20
Q
What did the Black Panthers do for the black ghetto communities in the north ?
A
- saw themselves as the unofficial police and social workers of the black community that they needed but didn’t have
- ran breakfast clubs for poor black children before school
- patrolled roads around schools where (black) children would often be hit by cars
- patrolled the ghetto streets to keep people safe
- pressed government officials for street lighting and other various kinds of aid for the ghettoes
- carried guns for self-defence and wore body-cameras to record police brutality
- created rainbow coalitions to stop fighting between non-white city gangs (and thus stop infighting, strengthening the black community in the cities and making them appear less violent to white officials)
- organised medical clinics for ghettoes where there were none
- gave free clothing and shoes to poor black people
- ran courses on black history and citizens’ rights to educate the black community
21
Q
Discuss the success of Black Panther groups in causing change in ghetto communities
A
- succeeded on a local level, especially their breakfast clubs and health clinics
- some Panther groups often forcefully raised money in the ghettoes for their initiatives, making them disliked in their communities
- many Black Panther groups were focused on provoking police and engaging in shoot-outs as well as helping the community
[] garnered white resentment, fear and opposition towards the Panthers despite their good deeds in the black community - by late 1968, 25 cities with Panther groups, but never more than 2000 Panthers at a time
