The prophet Elijah Muhammad and his methods of Islam were racially based in many ways. A primary example being his belief that the first humans Allah formed were black. Muhammad did not believe in the orthodox explanations of Islamic afterlife either. Much like the Christians and how John discussed God coming down to the Earth in order to save his people and defeat the devil in Revelation, the prophet Elijah Muhammad believed a racially based version of this event. The prophet Elijah believed Allah would come down after thousands of years of the white race reigning supreme in order to end this supremacy. This religion was meant to be an alternative to the white man’s Christianity. It was meant to invoke religious ways among black people, increase black self-esteem, and to divide whites from blacks.
2. Ions
Within the ghettos the Nation of Islam (NOI) was extremely popular, expanding from 100,000 in 1960 to almost a quarter million in 1969. During the 1930s and 1950s, the NOI set up temples in northern black ghettos such as Detroit, New York, and Chicago. Malcolm X the best NOI preacher also attracted attention and devotion towards the group from blacks within the ghetto as well.
Along with raising the esteem of blacks and inspiring them within the ghettos, the NOI provided real economic support as well. Elijah Muhammad and his son created businesses in the ghettos such as restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores. These opportunities were very positive, along with the NOI emphasizing a religious, sober way of life.
3. Want an X beside my name like Malcolm
Throughout his entire life, Malcolm X worked to improve the lives of African Americans. During the end of his life, Malcolm suggested he broadcasted his radicalism in order to make Martin Luther King Jr more appealable to the white population. Yet through his radicalism his legacy still had lasting effects.
X correctly drew attention to the lives of black people within the ghettos, along with the oppressed lives of blacks throughout the world. He became a black icon and role model for black youth. Most importantly in regard to the Civil Rights Movement, X inspired the new generation of black leaders in the movement. Unlike King who wished for integration, X was the first advocate for separatism and what later became black power during the civil rights era.
4. Level 1 zone
As efforts were made to increase the economic stability in ghettos by the The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), some situations were successful. Yet the ghettos remained poor, unemployed, uneducated, and violent. One of the reasons the efforts made by organizations were unsuccessful was because whites were unwilling to help the ghettos.
The most important aspect of the failed attempts to reform the ghettos by the NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was the fact that the civil rights movement itself was rejected within the ghettos. People believed that activists knew little about ghetto life and could do little to improve it. The positive and loving words of Dr. King were rejected as well; the only activism fueled within the ghettos could be sourced from the separatist words of Malcolm X.
5. NITRO
In 1966, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) members were frustrated and impatient with what they regarded as the slow progress of blacks towards equality. In addition to political disputes like the refusal of the Democratic Party to seat Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) delegates in Atlantic City, the SNCC turned to a militant leader in Stokely Carmichael. Another position change took place in The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), when the radical Floyd McKissick took James Farmer’s leadership role.
By the mid to late 60’s the CORE and SNCC were distancing themselves from the whites and NAACP and growing more and more radical. In 1966 the CORE convention endorsed “black power” and spoke out against non-violent protest, declaring it inappropriate if black people chose to defend themselves. The SNCC voted to expel whites in the same year. Through all the leadership changes from 1966-1968 the most radical black power organization emerged named the Black Panthers.
6. Black Panthers
Much like how the Black Panthers were influenced by Malcolm X and the NOI, they were similar. Their demands shared characteristics with Elijah Muhammad’s. Fundamentally the two organizations agreed upon cultural revival, nationalism, and self-help. For example not being bound to just the United States both organizations acknowledged black oppression over the world. Also both organizations worked within the ghettos in order to improve conditions.
As opposed to the NOI the Black Panthers were very radical, in fact the most radical. Routinely engaging in crime and even killing police, the organization was quickly targeted and destroyed by government forces. Unlike the NOI, the Black Panther had a very small member count, only 5000 compared to the NOI’s hundreds of thousands.
7. Saved
To say that the Black Power Movement was less successful than successful is an agreeable statement. The most prominent achievements that came from the Black Power Movement is the increased pride and morale of blacks across the nation and the increased attention the ghettos within political policy. Yet there were more controversies and negative connotations surrounding the Black Power Movement. The strength of the Civil Rights Movement was the nonviolent, law abiding act of protest that many activists and leaders promoted and engaged in; appearing morally superior as victims to an oppressive system. As soon as violent tendencies started to become apparent the Civil Rights Movement soon came to an end. These violent tendencies can be somewhat attributed to Black Power, and organizations like the Black Panthers. Because actions grew more violent this also increased division among whites and blacks, the one gap previous activists like Dr. King sought to close.