Essay On Black Power Movement

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Although the Civil Rights Movement had achieved success with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and theVoting Act of 1965, many African-Americans were left greatly dissatisfied as they experienced little change in the amount of discrimination they experienced in their daily lives. This led to the emergence of the Black Power Movement which emphasised the need for significant change, particularly with respect to the economy. Black Power promoted pride in a united African identity, and many supporters were of the belief that a more aggressive stance was necessary to catalyse change. While it is inarguable that the efforts of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) resulted in some change, little improved with regards to the black situation, …show more content…

Their party targeted police brutality and ‘white capitalist control’. The Black Panther Party succeeded in employing more assertive and aggressive means of protest, through the Black Panthers, which formed patrols to keep an eye on police activities in the ghettos. These groups were equipped with guns, and were prepared to use them. The Black Panther Party also established a strong presence in the ghettos, by setting up self-help schemes and clinics where blacks could go for advice on their rights, as well as giving food to those who could not afford it. The Black Power Movement was successful in many ways, and it’s legacy has had a powerful effect on how African Americans view themselves today. The encouragement generated by the movement for blacks to become more involved in public affairs resulted in the election of black mayors in several cities. This led to notable improvement in the conditions of housing and schools. It also greatly raised the self-esteem and confidence of the majority of African Americans, and resulted in the birth of “a generation of black politicians, artists and intellectuals (who have) channelled the new black identity it first articulated in diverse and various