There have been some tremendous movements and images in the history of African-Americans in this country that seem to capture the mood of the country and the black community of the time. And this one phrase "black power" is undoubtedly one of the most simple and elegant statements of pride and unity in the black community. But it was also a phrase that came to represent the more violent and objectionable side of the struggle for equality in the black community. And that makes it a controversial then and now phrase.
Arguably the greatest image of black power is the strong hand of a black man, clad in a black glove and raised in the air in defiance and pride. Never has that salute been used so well as it was in the 1968 Olympics when Tommy Smith and John Carlos completed their fists of black power with black gloves while receiving their medals for their performances at those Olympic Games. Had it.
The phrase "black power" was not coined in a march or riot as might have been implied. It was actually created in the early sixties by the head of the NAACP, Robert Williams. But it really began to become a "street term" when it was adopted by Makassa Dada and Stokely Carmichael, founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a precursor to the famous Black Panther Party.
Sadly, the Black Power movement became characterized by radical elements that went far beyond what Martin Luther King and the rest of the civil rights movement's leadership sought to achieve. These radical elements sought black segregation and social change through violent means. And so at a time when the country was in great turmoil due to the violence in Vietnam and that social conflict led to the streets of America, The Black Panthers and other fringe groups stitched together fear and hatred in response to the racism that once existed. Long-lasting change is more difficult to achieve than was ever made.
But it's also good to see some of the darker elements of black history and leadership finding the best path forward for African Americans. Sometimes it is necessary for radical elements to expose themselves in such a way that reasonable members of a community know the external limits and can compromise. This was a value to the Black Power movement because it charged the discussion, albeit with violence, and made more important the importance of fair Americans seeking peaceful change.
But there is another good that has come from the Kali Shakti movement. Those images of clenched fists were images of a pride and willingness to stand up for the rights of black Americans. He inspired a generation of young people to be more politically active, to stand out in their own world and to make that statement made famous by James Brown, "Say it out loud. I'm black and I'm proud." This pride is an important thing and for young people to seek. They have to find it in their communities and their heroes. So if black youth took pride and courage to face their circumstances from the bold stand of leaders who asserted that black America was now going to be a force to be reckoned with, that resulted in a call to action by the black community. produced many more positive effects than negative ones. The fringe voice speaks what is in the hearts of the people and by taking out that anger and frustration she became a part of the movement. That energy could be captured and used for good instead of evil. And the end result was a movement that was active in calling for change and for making life better for Black America as a whole. And that's what everyone wanted.
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