By Dewayana T. Barnes
At first glance, some of you who have simply read the title of this piece are already making assumptions about what I have to say about this particular subject. To some, hatred, bigotry, black power, lack of patriotism, and violence all immediately come to mind. To others, however, black unity, black pride, self-assurance and self-determination are terms associated with Black Nationalism. It seems to me that we live in a society that believes that racism doesn’t exist because it is not blatant or easily noticed. After the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, overt racism took a backseat to instutitional racism, which was long embedded in our society, yet seems to have reached its peak well into the 21st century. I think that the battle against these institutional restraints can be won with the rebirth of Black Nationalism.
The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s changed America forever. Martin Luther King, Jr., is hailed as one of the greatest civil rights leaders of all time. His belief in using passive resistance and integration won many citizens over, including some of white America. However, there were many black people who wanted to reach the same goal as King, yet wanted to take a different route. From these people emerged the philosophy of Black Nationalism, a separatist movement that allowed the use of violence when violence was used against them. Malcolm X was an advocate for Black Nationalism, and he fought hard to ensure that the “masses” were aware of the oppressions that they faced in their daily lives.
In his speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” Malcolm X states that “the political philosophy of Black Nationalism means that the black man should control the politics and politicians in his own community. The economic philosophy means that we should control the economy of our own community. The social philosophy means that we have to get together and remove the evils, the vices, alcoholism, drug addiction and other evils that are destroying the moral fibers of our community.” Black Nationalism put the black man first rather than America’s main interests at the time. It taught the black man to look at himself and be proud of what he saw, and to enrich his relationships with other blacks as well as to make significant contributions in the black community. Black Nationalism gave birth to powerful organizations such as the Black Panther Party, which strived for socialistic change, ran after-school programs, helped renovate public entities, and became activists for other oppressed groups in American Society. Unfortunately, the myth of hatred still surrounds this organization.
I understand that Black Nationalism of the 1960s often excluded whites, deeming them the “blue-eyed devil” or the enemy. However, I believe that as we move farther into the 21st century, we need as many white people as possible to be a part of the struggle in order for us to win this battle over race relations. Those white people who choose to be anomalous can help create a better society as a whole and make other white people aware of the subconscious superiority of whiteness in America. Other people of color can benefit from Black Nationalism as well. They can take the principles and foundations of Black Nationalism and create their own form of nationalism that grants them an appreciation for their culture and their heritage. They can create a sense of unity within their community and fight the oppressor as one.
While some of you might agree with the philosophy of Black Nationalism, I’m sure a lot of you oppose it because along with the philosophy comes the support of the use of violence. Unlike Martin Luther King, Jr., and his use of passive resistance, Black Nationalists believed that violence could be used against the oppressor if the oppressor chose to use force. What’s practical about this method, you might ask? All I can say is this: Frantz Fanon wrote a book entitled The Wretched of the Earth, which discusses how the natives in Algeria led a revolution against their French oppressors. The Algerians were hugely outnumbered; however, when all was said and done, the French had no choice but to leave Algeria. Not only that, but when the United States doesn’t get what it wants internationally, it uses violence. Such would be the case today in regards to the Iraqi conflict and the politics of oil.
The rebirth of Black Nationalism is critical to the well-being of the black community in the 21st century and the issue of race relations in America. Malcolm X explained Black Nationalism better than anyone else when he said, “It doesn’t mean that were anti-white, but it does mean were anti-exploitation, we’re anti-degradation, we’re anti-oppression.” Black Nationalism unites the black community and gives them a voice against the oppressor.
I believe that Black Nationalism instills Nguzo Sabo, or the Seven Principles, a value system which Americans (mostly African-Americans) associate with Kwanzaa. The Seven principles are “umoja, kujichagulia, ujima, ujamaa, nia, kuumba and imani.” In English, these words are translated as “unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.” These are the words that come to my mind when I think of Black Nationalism.
This is the sole opinion of Dewayana T. Barnes, who is a junior liberal studies major and a columnist for The Louisville Cardinal. Contact: debarn02@athena.louisville.edu
