Black Power

In the background of African Americans in United States, there were some incredible movements and images which seem to capture the feeling of the country and also the black community in those days.  And this key phrase “black power” is undoubtedly one of the most basic and elegant statements of unity and pride in the black community.  However it was also a phrase that came to symbolize the more violent and offensive side of the challenge for equal rights in the black community.  Which makes it a controversial phrase then and today.

Most likely the greatest image of black power is the powerful hand of the black men, clenched in a black glove and elevated upward in pride and defiance.  Never has that salute been used so completely, when it was at the 1968 Olympics while John Carlos alonwith  Tommy Smith raised the black strength fist complete with black glove as they obtained their medals for performances at these Olympic Games.

The phrase “black power” had not been coined in a march or riot as may be implied.  It had been actually developed by Robert Williams, the head in the NAACP from the early 60s.  However it started out being a “street term” to be able to adopted by Stokely Carmichael and Makasa Dada, founding fathers of The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee that was the iniciador to the popular Black Panther Party.

Unfortunately the black power movements started to be characterized by revolutionary elements which went much beyond seeking the objectives of Martin Luther King as well as the rest of the civil legal rights movement’s leadership.  These radical factors sought black splitting up and social change through violent means.  And thus in a time when there was clearly incredible turmoil in the united states due to the violence in Vietnam and on the roads of America because of that social turmoil, The Black Panthers as well as other fringe groups sewed panic and hate according to racism that at times caused it to be more hard to attain long-lasting change.

But there is certainly good to be seen even in a number of the darker aspects of black history and the command who looked to get the best way ahead for African Americans.  It is sometimes necessary for the radical factors to make them selves known so sensible members of the community can know the external limits in order to find compromise.  It was a value to the black power movement since it charged the discussion, although with violence and made the value of reasonable Americans in the future to seek peaceful change all the more essential.

But there exists another good that came in the black power movement.  All those images of the raised fist were images of a determination to stand for the legal rights of black Americans and a pride.  They influenced a generation of the younger generation to become more active politically, to stand up in their own world and made that statement made popular by James Brown “Say it Loud.  I am Black and I am Proud.”  That pride is a crucial thing and for teenagers to find.  They need to find it in their communities and their heroes.  So if black youngsters took pride and bravery to face their unique circumstances from the bold posture of leaders who, albeit significantly, said loud that black America was now getting to be a force to become reckoned with, the resulting call to action to the black community developed many more positive outcomes than negative.

The fringe voice really does speak what exactly is in people’s minds and by having that frustration and anger out, it became portion of the movement.  That power could be captured and utilized for good rather than evil.  And the final result was a movement which was energized for change and to help make life much better for all of black America. Which was the desire of everybody.

Affirmative Action in the United States

Affirmative Action Plan by Black Community - The Dividing Line

A brief history of the growth of equal rights for African Americans in the united states has been one of terrific achievements followed by many little gains and lots of set backs also.  The outlawing of slavery could not instantly make all blacks equivalent with whites in the united states.  It took a time, many subsequent legal steps and also hundreds of social efforts, small and big, to slowly make the improvement we have seen right now.  But even in this era, in a new century, there is an continuous fight against racism.  Seems like we need leadership to guide society to real equal rights as much now as ever before in our historical past.

The abolition of slavery only started the long tough struggle for Black culture to become true part of what is needed to be an American.  That is because even though legal meaning of slavery had been tossed down, cultural systems and behaviors in place to maintain the races separate and also to refuse black people equal rights with whites must be addressed one after the other.

Gradually across the many years, we have seen big improvements but followed by a great cost.  From legal granting of the right to cast their vote to African Americans to the civil legal rights movement to school desegregation, each step of the way came with level of resistance, significant sacrifice and great trouble  from leaders and common citizens as well to make each step towards real equal rights.

Of all of the initiatives to “level the playing field”, Affirmative Action Plan" was the most controversial than all.  In the starting, it had been supposed to be a supplement on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  With time it had turn out to be clear that in spite of removal of laws that forced discrimination or segregation, there was a natural segregation from the work place which was trying to keep African Americans from having a fair opportunity at jobs due to the prejudices of an employer, even when that prejudice was not legally recognized in the charter of company.

There initially were two major executive orders that built affirmative action a reality.  Us president Kennedy signed the 1st Executive Order 10925 on March 6, 1965 which had been the first law to make mention of phrase.  It was followed by a lot more sweeping Civil Rights Act that was signed in to law by President Johnson.  Together these laws tried to correct by legal means the disparity of chance that existed in work place for anyone of color by instituting a method of quotas which employers had to fulfill to satisfy federal affirmative action minority recruitment levels.

However, as is necessary when the government attempts to impose proper perceptions via legal procedure, these laws frequently created as numerous difficulties for minorities as they healed.  Nevertheless since the application of the quota systems started to become popular, it did open up lots of doors for African Americans that could not have opened because of racial prejudice as well as silent segregation which was keeping the African American community by achieving its financial potential.

In reality, no one really liked this type of imposed fairness procedure.  Whites felt the sting of the artificial system of judgment which was at times called “reverse discrimination”.  While there was clearly some justice which the white community got a taste for what it sensed like to loose out on chance because of the color of the skin, it didn't help the nation in our objective of developing with each other to be one “color blind” community.

 Affirmative action was obviously a combined blessing to the African American community.  As it did its job in the short term to opening doors which were closed because of racism, it isn't the perfect solution.  This is because it could not meet Dr. King’s vision of the world in which a man is judged not from the color of his skin but by his moral character.  We could hope that we all will develop to this point being a culture and looking back on affirmative action as an regrettable but needed provision to support us raise and mature like a truly integrated culture.

Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordon Great Black Heroes

Throughout black historical past, great black sports athletes  became role model to America’s youngsters, in a way that wasn't so easy for them to be leaders of sports.  Michael Jordon’s capacity on the basketball field throughout his career sometimes seems to be practically superhuman.  And also the career of Mohammed Ali sent a strong message of black pride to white and black America that he essentially changed social understanding of the black man via sheer talent and mindset.

Before Mohammed Ali became popular, the thought of a black boxer, even a good black boxer getting such a main figure for black pride appeared unlikely.  However Ali demonstrated some thing to the youngsters of the African American community which was so constructive that it really helped to remodel their world view like none other public figure could have performed.

Ali's swagger and braggadocio, He was standing out as a proud black man and it was never been seen previously in the past.  His use of rhyme with such phrases as “I float just like a butterfly and sting just like a bee” to his self promo sustaining “I’m pretty”, which sent a message to white and black admirer as well.  And this message was clear and loud.  Ali was black and he was happy proud. Other black women and men in America have just as much reason to become proud as Ali was.

It was very important indication because appearing out of years of oppression, it was at times hard for black youngsters to gain feeling of pride and also the self assurance required to get up there and become successful.  It took time for work of great black heroes like Mohammed Ali to let people realize that it is permitted for you to be proud and to be great too. He was absolutely a great black player too.  When Ali shouted that he was “pretty”, he revealed that the technique he fought against truly was a thing of elegance.

That same superiority and how it is used to encourage the black community can be found in the exceptional career of Michael Jordon.  In the same manner that Ali’s talent appeared to eclipse even the genre of boxing, Jordon was so extraordinary at basketball that he grew to be an icon of quality and talent and a role model for black youngsters across the nation.  Muhammad Ali and Jordan identified that God had Blessed them this incredible talent and also the chances to reach their prospective.  And they worked well to be a role model to their community so other people would be motivated to be their best too.

Furthermore, great black sports role models as well provided healing by establishing a high standard of superiority for sports activities lovers of all races to appreciate.  It was not just black sports fans who admired the work of Mohammed Ali and Michael Jordon.  These people became true heroes to anybody to whom sports was a necessary part of existence.

Sports is definitely an arena where women and men can come to interact socially and find common ground.  Such as enjoyment, we have a world of sports which makes comrades of all who delight in the exploits of sports role models whether or not on the football diamond, the basketball field, the boxing arena as well as baseball stadium.  And sports lovers have a standard which they value their heroes which is based on skill, achievement, talent and capability to do that one thing everyone in sports admires -- to become a winner.  And Mohammed Ali as well as Jordon were definitely embodiment of excellent black men who had been winners in every way.  And we all appreciate that regardless of race, creed or color.