▁civil ▁rights ▁movement , ▁for ▁its ▁apparent ▁support ▁of ▁ra cial ▁seg reg ation , ▁and ▁for ▁const itut ing ▁black ▁superior ity ▁over ▁other ▁races . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁earliest ▁known ▁usage ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁" Black ▁Power " ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁Richard ▁Wright ' s ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁book ▁Black ▁Power . ▁New ▁York ▁politician ▁Adam ▁Clay ton ▁Pow ell ▁Jr . ▁used ▁the ▁term ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁during ▁an ▁address ▁at ▁Howard ▁University : ▁" To ▁demand ▁these ▁God - g iven ▁rights ▁is ▁to ▁seek ▁black ▁power ." ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁popular ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁" Black ▁Power " ▁as ▁a ▁political ▁and ▁ra cial ▁s log an ▁was ▁by ▁Sto k ely ▁Car m ich ael ▁( l ater ▁known ▁as ▁K w ame ▁T ure ) ▁and ▁Will ie ▁R icks ▁( l ater ▁known ▁as ▁M uk asa ▁D ada ), ▁both ▁organiz ers ▁and ▁sp okes pers ons ▁for ▁the ▁Student ▁Non vi ol ent ▁Co ordin ating ▁Committee ▁( SN CC ). ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁in ▁a ▁speech ▁in ▁Green wood , ▁Mississippi , ▁after ▁the ▁shooting ▁of ▁James ▁Mer ed ith ▁during ▁the ▁March ▁Again st ▁F ear , ▁Sto k ely ▁Car m ich ael ▁said : ▁ ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁twenty - se vent h ▁time ▁I ▁have ▁been ▁arrested ▁and ▁I ▁ain ' t ▁going ▁to ▁j