The Relationship Between Kwame Ture and Martin Luther King
In his book Strategy for a Black Agenda, Henry Winston accuses Kwame Ture (then known as Stokely Carmichael) of being among those who were opposed to Martin Luther King. The relationship between the two men has at times been framed as an oppositional or contentious relationship. It is true that the two men had significant ideological differences which stems mainly from Ture’s rejection of King’s non-violent ideology.
Ture truly came to the forefront of the movement in 1966 when he gave a famous speech in which he called for “Black Power”. This speech galvanized the civil rights movement and had a lasting impact on the struggle for African-American liberation. In the speech, Ture argued that African-Americans should embrace their African identity and reject the assimilationist policies of the civil rights movement. He argued for self-determination and the need for African-Americans to take control of their own destiny. The speech was widely praised and had a major influence on the development of the Black Power movement.
Ture’s Black Power speech was delivered during the March Against Fear. The March Against Fear was a civil rights demonstration that took place in June of 1966. The march was initiated by James Meredith, a civil rights activist and freedom rider. Meredith had been shot and wounded during an earlier civil rights march in Mississippi, and his injury had galvanized the civil rights movement. After recovering, Meredith decided to embark on a solo march from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi. He sought to raise awareness of the issues of racism and injustice that were still prevalent in the South.
Martin Luther King Jr., who was one of the major leader of the civil rights movement, saw the potential of Meredith’s march and decided to join him. King and his organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), joined forces with SNCC to organize the march. The goal was to draw attention to the injustices of racism and inequality throughout the South. The march gained momentum as it went along, and it eventually drew in thousands of participants from all over the country.
The primary goal of the March Against Fear was to draw attention to the issue of racial injustice and inequality in the South. The marchers sought to bring an end to segregation and discrimination, and they also sought to ensure that African Americans had access to the ballot box. The march was also intended to create a sense of solidarity among the participants and to serve as a rallying cry for the civil rights movement.
The march also sought to make a statement about the power of nonviolent protest. The marchers wanted to show that peaceful protests could be effective in achieving their goals. This message was powerful and resonated with the public, and it helped to further galvanize the civil rights movement.
The march was not without its challenges, however. There were some tense moments during the march, as the participants were met with resistance from some local officials and groups. The marchers also had to deal with bad weather and fatigue, as the march was over five hundred miles long. Additionally, the marchers had to deal with threats of violence and intimidation from white supremacists. Despite these challenges, the marchers persevered and continued their march until it was completed.
The march also provided an opportunity for Ture to work directly with King. As mentioned before, the two men differed when on the question of non-violence, but Ture did adhere to the non-violence for the purpose of the march.
Years later, Ture would reflect on King, expressing nothing but love and admiration for the man whom Ture worked alongside with. Ture described King as a man who taught African people to confront the enemy without fear. Far from being opposed to King, Ture was someone who had great admiration for King and learned a great deal from the time which the two men spent working together.
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Dwayne is the author of Black Power and Post-Colonial Society: Essays on Kwame Ture, Religion, and More.
