Research Paper On Malcolm X And Black Nationalism

Black Nationalism was a socio-political movement among some African-Americans during the 1960s and part of the early 1970s (Robinson, 2001). The movement aimed at acquiring economic power that would be used to introduce a sense of community and inclusion among the blacks. Through the movement, black people aimed at promoting and thereby maintaining their separate identity citing it as black power. Another reason that led to the creation of this movement was to develop a sense inclusion among the African-Americans. In general, it can be noted that Malcolm X began the Black Nationalism movement to counter and oppose capitalists, imperialists and racism that characterized the American public domain (Robinson, 2001). Malcolm X first encountered the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims) while in prison. Members of this movement normally replaced their surnames with an X. As the movement’s spokesman, he expressed a strong position of revolutionary Black Nationalism. Through traveling and experiencing different circumstances, Malcolm X developed a transformed conceptualization of Black Nationalism. This would improve his oratorical genius and make him an anti-racist force not to reckon with (Barnes, 2010). Malcolm X noted that there was great need to stop oppression, capitalism, racism and imperialism all in the name of exploiting black folks. He specifically considered black as a heritage worth a tale and a history of struggle that defined the equality that the movement was fighting for. The Black Nationalism ideas remain great milestones and ‘landmarks’ that people look at and praise Malcolm X (Okeke, 2015). African-Americans fought for creating their political bases and parties. They wanted a reform to allow them in schools without prejudices and even be allowed to run their schools in their residence areas. All this would later on be facilitated by the Black Nationalism movement (Robinson, 2001).
Increased Black Nationalism activities by Malcolm X had quite formidable consequences. First, the fight against black separatism was controversial and provocative. Despite this, the membership of the movement continued to rise. Most of the movements actions were ideally meant to strengthen the civil rights movement (Okeke, 2015). Malcolm X noted that, the civil rights movement was simply concerned about the individual rights of citizens; however, there was a need to be concerned with the wider array of aspects that characterized the American citizens. This way civil rights movements rose in terms of membership as the notion of black supremacy and the need for black self-importance slowly crept in (Barnes, 2010). African-Americans were made to believe that they were more powerful than their white counterparts and that the whites were evil. Notably, the movements’ activities were not only concentrated in America but spread across the globe beyond the US borders (Okeke, 2015). Despite the skin color, language, origin or interests, the notion of Black Nationalism was a form of revolutionary change. Though there were a lot of controversy and conspiracy on his untimely death, Malcolm X remains a victory in the hearts of many people across the globe despite the continued fight for equality and an end to racism. The Black Nationalism, as noted earlier, is a global concept. Referring to it as the revolution of the oppressed against the oppressor and the exploited against the exploiter, Malcolm X insisted that evolution was fundamental. Despite setbacks and negative consequences of the fight for an anti-racist nation such as his untimely death, bigotry from white-dominated media houses, etc., Malcolm X still managed to drive the point home (Barnes, 2010). He led a revolution that changed the world’s perception. The effects of this revolution cannot just be measured by words but by the turn of events that characterize most nations today. Despite a continued fight for equality, minority groups have a history that is defined by a strong heritage contained in Malcolm X’s fight towards anti-racism, anti-imperialism, and anti-capitalism.

References

Barnes, J., (2010). Malcolm X’s Evolution on Black Nationalism. The Militant. Vol.74 (19).
Okeke, J., (2015). The Influence and Impact of Malcolm X’s Political Philosophy on the Racial Emancipation of African Americans beyond. Retrieved from <www.academia.edu/486683/the-influence-and-impact-of-malcom-x-political-philosophy-on-the-emnacipation-of-african-americans-and-beyond>.Accessed on 15th February, 2015.
Robinson, E. D., (2001). Black Nationalism in American Politics and Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.