The Black Power Movement is an important part of American and African-American history.

It refers
to a period during the 1960s when African-Americans, or blacks, changed their views about the
manner by which they should achieve economic power, political power, and civil rights. During that
time, white Americans and the media often exaggerated the association between the slogan black
power and violence.
The movement evolved during a time when blacks were said to be free and equal, although the
realities of life readily proved otherwise. White Americans were generally resistant to releasing the
reigns on economic and political power. The continuing fight for civil rights showed that blacks were
obviously not being treated as equals.
Prior to the Black Power Movement, there were two contrasting approaches that blacks took with
regards to their aims to equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an influential man and the leader of
the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). His approach was one of unconditional nonviolence. Malcolm X, on the other hand, was an influential figure in the Nation of Islam, a black
Muslim group that condoned self-defense.
The slogan black power is generally believed to have gained widespread popularity in 1966 during
the March Against Fear, also known as the Meredith Mississippi Freedom March. The concept,
however, was in the works long before this event. Whites acted as though the slogan frightened
them, and together with the media, the term was readily linked to violence and racism among people
in white communities.
During this period, there was an obvious shift in attitudes. Activist groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) had
previously worked with white supporters and sympathizers. Frustrated by ongoing injustice and
unfairness, these groups and many others changed their attitudes to reflect a move toward
separatism.
Groups and individuals who once subscribed the approach of non-violence began to readily adopt
attitudes of self-defense upon attack. Black power, as a slogan, however, never truly had a violent
meaning among most African-Americans. For them, it was more of a call to take pride in themselves.
The popularity of the Black Panther Party (BPP) did not do much to prove this, however. This group
dressed in macho attire, including berets and leather jackets. They also carried loaded guns in public
to represent their willingness to defend themselves and to encourage blacks to become aware of
their rights.
These shifts of attitude and a surge of black activism were concentrated during the mid to late 1960s
and are now labeled as the Black Power Movement. It is important to note, however, that during that
time, there was not a cohesive effort with this title. In those days, there were numerous groups and
activists, a frustrated black population, and a common desire for change.

The Black Power Movement

1968-1980
The progress made by African Americans in the 1950s and early 1960s at
achieving their civil rights was compromised by violence. Frankly, many
young blacks rejected the courage and patience displayed by Dr. Martin
Luther King in his non-violent response to injustice in American society.
The epitome of the Black Power Movement was the Black Panther Party.
Founded by Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale and others, this party justified
the use of violence in the accomplishment of black justice. Newton and
Seale were harassed by police and Newton was convicted of killing a
policeman.
The movement stimulated a number of other blacks to speak out. In
1968, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver wrote his best selling
autobiography, Soul on Ice and the poet Amira Baraka published an
anthology of protest writing called Black Fire. And in 1970, Stokely
Carmichael and Charles Hamilton wrote Black Power, the book that
defined the movement.
Protest during these years extended to sports as well as writing. In 1967,
Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali refused induction into the armed
forces on both religious and political grounds. The next year, John
Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their gloved fists in a black power
salute from the victory stand at the Olympic Games in Mexico City. And
two years after that, Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause in
professional baseball eventually changing the nature of the sport.
A new generation of black political figures emerged during the 1970s.
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm ran for president in 1972 and
Congresswoman Barbara Jordan spoke with eloquence during the
Watergate hearings

Benjamin Hooks replaced Roy Wilkins as the head of the NAACP and
Andrew Young is elected mayor of Atlanta. Finally, in 1983, the Reverend
Jesse Jackson announced his intention to make the first serious attempt
by an African American to win the De