The Concept of Black Power - Research Paper Example

In light of its use in movements, historians associated the term ‘Black Power’ with emphasis on racial pride especially the African race. They as well associated the term with calls for the conception of African American political and cultural associations that would foster and support the collective interests of African Americans while enhancing their values. Politically, the slogan ‘Black Power’ expressed African Americans' resistance against racial oppression as well as calls for the establishment of social institutions for African Americans. It as well as expressed calls for the development of a self-sufficient economy.
This paper seeks to analyze the influence that the term ‘Black Power’ had in American society in regards to the establishment of political groups. In this, the paper will compare and contrast the tactics and philosophies of a lobby group that emerged due to the influence of the slogan ‘Black Power’.
The Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party was a revolutionary Marxist organization highly associated with African Americans and active in the United States between 1966 and 1982. The Black Panther Party is renowned nationally and internationally for its essential participation in the ‘Black Power’ movement. It as well participated significantly in the politics of the United States in the 1960s and the 1970s. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale are renowned as the founders of the Black Panther Party having founded it in 1966 in Oakland, California. Its core aim at the point of inception was to articulate the need of defending African Americans from police rough treatment. One of the significant tactics employed by the Black Panther Party was a way of wooing membership. This is in the sense that the organization adopted socialist and Marxist principles thus making it appeal to a wide array of individuals. Consequently, the party as well held a Black Nationalist reputation, which influenced its attraction of a diverse membership.

Another crucial tactic of the party was its publication of an official newspaper, The Black Panther. The publication of the newspaper began in 1967 and it fostered efforts by the party to attract membership by creating a platform through which the party would articulate its ideologies to the populace. The party as well used marches as a crucial tactic of influencing its popularity and increasing its membership while airing its grievances. Particularly, the march on the California State Capitol in Sacramento in 1967 in which the party called for self-defense influenced increased awareness of the Black Panther Party. Violence was as well a tactic that the party used to draw awareness as the party’s leaders called for the use of violence in response to police brutality. Huey Newton’s admission of murdering a police officer as well influenced African Americans into engaging in the violence advocated by the party’s leadership.

Since 1968, the party changed its tactics by deciding to focus directly on political action rather than engaging in the street mentality it had advocated in the recent past. This attracted an influx of college student membership influencing tension created by the change intact by the party. With increased participation in political action, the party increased the use of party slogans and iconography particularly the ‘Black Power Salute’. Consequently, celebrities as well joined and supported the party thus influencing its increased participation in political action as well as other social programs. In essence, the tactics of the Black Panther Party included the use of radical publicity measures such as violence and the initial use of philosophies that widely appeal to the populace and later adopting liberal philosophies. In this regard, the party began by holding the radical philosophy of citizens defending themselves through ownership of firearms. However, the party soon altered this radical philosophy in favor of nationalism thus engaging in liberal political action.
Conclusion
In essence, the concept of ‘Black Power’ entailed the African Americans defending themselves against racial oppression by setting their ground and radically opposing racial oppression. In this regard, any lobby group that intended to incorporate the membership of African American need to take a radical approach towards racial oppression. In this regard, the Black Panther Party emerged as a very radical organization that advocated for the use of force in opposing racial oppression. This entailed calls for the use of violence in response to police brutality to the point of advocating for the killing of brutal police officers. However, in the course of time and as the party amassed vital membership levels, it changed its approach in favor of a more liberal approach. This verifies the statement that ‘The concept of Black Power rests on a fundamental premise: Before a group can enter the open society, it must first close ranks.