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11.04 Notes Outline
“Black Power and Other Movements”
Complete 11.04 Notes Outline as you review lesson 11.04.
Explore #4:
Analyze the quote.
“By any means necessary” is Malcolm X’s most famous quote.
How is his philosophy different from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s beliefs?
I. Black Power Movement
The non-violent protests that served as the centerpiece of the Civil Rights Movement were later challenged by a more militant, confrontational approach advocated by followers of Black Nationalism.
The Black Nationalism started in the 1930s when founded the , also known as the Back Muslims, and was later expounded in the 1950s and 1960s by Malcolm X.
The core beliefs of reflected a segregationist ideal where blacks would be completely self-reliant while also developing great pride in their ancestry. Contrary to the Civil Rights Movement, these goals were sometimes achieved by violence.
Malcolm X’s Rise to Power
was to the Black Power Movement what Dr. King was to the Civil Rights Movement. His powerful speeches persuaded many, both in and out of the Civil Rights Movement, to become more focused on Black Nationalism and Black Power.
Malcolm X was born Malcom Little in 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. Like Dr. King, he was the son of a Baptist minister. After Malcolm's father was killed when he was a small child, he turned to crime. When Malcolm was 20, he was arrested and served seven years in jail during which time he joined the Nation of Islam.
Malcolm X’s Opposes to Integration
As a member of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X was directly opposed to the strategies and goals of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. He viewed white society as oppressive. He preached black separation from white society and building up of the black community. Malcolm X became a militant political leader through his "fiery" speeches.
In 1964, he left the Nation of Islam after a journey to Mecca where he saw Muslims of all colors worshipping together. In February 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam during a public speech. His message lived on and had a great influence on members of SNCC.
SNCC Splits the Movement
Persuaded by Malcolm X's arguments, the leaders of SNCC and CORE started to alter their core beliefs during the latter half of the 1960s. They initially focused on achieving integration using non-violent protests, but eventually, adopted the Black Nationalist ideals of separation, militancy, and black power.
SNCC represented the true split in the Civil Rights Movement as its young members became impatient with the slow change brought by nonviolent protests. was the leader of SNCC who became more militant after being beaten and jailed during protests.
Black Power and the Black Panthers
Stokely Carmichael came up with the idea of , calling African-Americans "to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community" or seek unity and self-reliance.
This Black Power movement evolved later to include a new militant political party, the , that openly armed themselves to protect black communities from white power.
andstarted the Black Panthers in the fall of 1966. It was set up to create community programs, foster black pride, and demand the government rebuild the nation's ghettos. The Black Panthers were known for slogans including, "Black is beautiful" and "Power flows from the barrel of a gun."
While the vast majority of African-Americans supported the non-violent tactics promoted by Dr. King, others within the black community were less eager to integrate and were willing to use violence against whites that sought to degrade them.
The Black Panthers promoted violence, divided races, and turned the civil rights movement into the civil war movement.
Simmering Anger Causes Urban Riots
Ending de jure segregation, or segregation created by law, was the focus of the early Civil Rights Movement. The tougher issue of , or segregation that was a fact of life, caused by social conditions like poverty, caused anger and frustrations to simmer in poor black communities and led to riots and looting across the nation.
In August 1965, the led to the death of 34 people while more than a 1,000 more were injured in Los Angeles.
The assassinations of JKF and Martin Luther King, Jr., were extensively covered by the media and both caused domestic upheaval and a variety of voices wanted to be heard. In addition to African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans spoke out.
II. Other Social Movements
The Sixties was an activist decade in which different leaders and organizations emerged to expose and challenge injustices. Segregation was illegal and African-Americans were able to vote. The success of the Civil Rights Movement made it clear to Americans that social protest could actually bring change. Some groups, such as Latino Americans and women, fought for equal treatment and an end to discriminatory practices in the workplace. Other groups, such as environmental groups, advocated for tougher laws and regulations that would protect their respective interests.
The Women’s Movement
In the 1960s, feminists challenged the mainstream stereotypes that limited women to work in the home raising a family instead of having a career. Women faced inequality in the workforce, education, and politics. Feminists fought for the political, economic, and social equality of men and women.
In book, , she gave a voice to women who felt the pressure of trying to be the perfect mother and wife.
The (NOW) was one of the most active groups working to gain social equality for all women.
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
Women fought for years to get the (ERA) that would prohibit discrimination on account of sex. It passed in Congress in 1972; however, it was not ratified by enough of the states. Although the proposed ERA died in 1982, the feminist movement continued to fight for equality for women and eventually brought a change in attitude and better job opportunities for women.
Roe v. Wade
The "Pro-family" movement started to combat the ERA and other controversial issues within the feminist movement.
was a landmark case supported by women's groups in which the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973. The case remains highly controversial even today.
Latinos Seek Equality
Latinos, people who have a Latin American family origin and are Spanish-Speaking, were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and women's movement to fight for equality. One of the most well-known leaders, , worked to unite Latino farm workers by organizing the United Farm Workers(UFW).
In the 1960s, Mexican-Americans, who make up the largest number of Latinos in the United States, began to organize to fight discrimination in education, jobs, and the legal system in what is known as the .
Native American Struggles
Native American communities suffer from higher rates of poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, suicide, and shorter life expectancy than white Americans. It wasn't until 1924 that Native Americans were finally recognized as citizens of both the United States and their own tribal groups and many did not get the right to vote until 1948.
The (AIM), organized by Dennis Banks and George Mitchell in 1968, focused on Native American living issues, encouraged cultural pride, and fought for legal rights.
Eventually, the American Indian Movement began to fight for autonomy, or self-government, and restoration of Native American lands. The Civil Rights Movement encouraged other minorities to assert proudly who they were and the Native Americans were one of those groups.
The Environmental Movement
In the spirit of the early muckrakers, Environmentalists led by biologist and author, , crusaded tirelessly to preserve and restore the earth's environment and resources during the 1960s. As it became obvious that the earth was being degraded and that people were becoming ill from chemical dumpings, the government began to take notice and legislation started to reflect the national interest in the environment.
Widespread support and awareness eventually led to the passage of multiple laws and agencies to protect the environment including:
The (NRC)was set up to monitor the nuclear power industry for safe power for civilian use.
The (EPA) was established in 1970 to regulate water and air pollution, toxic waste, pesticides, and radiation.
The (1970)instituted a research and development program to prevent and control air pollution.
The (1972)set up regulations for preventing water pollution.
Legacy of the 1960s
All of the movements of the 1960s and early 1970s achieved some measure of success, with the greatest success being enhanced awareness of their cause.