Black Struggle from the Local to the Global

Some questions to chew on.When black students at the University of Michigan took over the school in ’69, ’77, and ’87, were they trying to end racism in the United States? Or were they trying to end racism at U of M?When Rosa Parks decided not to give up her seat in Birmingham, was she trying to end Jim Crow throughout the South? Or was she trying to dismantle Jim Crow in Birmingham?When Brown sued the Board of Education was he trying to end the dual education system in the US? Or in Kansas?When Clementine Barfield began Save Our Sons and Daughters was she trying to end gang violence in the United States? Or in Detroit?As the NAACP begins its national convention in Detroit I thought it appropriate to ask these questions. As the case of Robert Williams shows persuasively, the NAACP has always had a problem with local autonomy. And this is likely the cause of its slow demise even moreso than its bloated executive board.But the NAACP isn’t the only guilty party. How many of us write about how to get black people to organize nationally without even thinking about how we might begin to work on our own neighborhoods?

6 Comments

Cobb on July 8, 2007 at 2:52 pm

This is an area of inquiry that is pregnant with possibilities. In fact it is one of the core issues I think of when I consider the fate of black politics. That is, how do movements scale and what level of organizational effectiveness and capability are black politicos capable of sustaining.

All of my thinking on this matter has led me to the conclusion that blacks have traditionally expected their local successes and failures to echo globally, and thus have always striven to make the most out of symbols. But when faced with the challenges of bringing any matter to a national or international organization, they have failed. This is generally because the American middle class itself is the primary end goal of black political and self-help movements. Similarly, when individual blackfolks attain middle class status, that symbolism is overplayed as well.

cnulan on July 8, 2007 at 3:04 pm

Very Work-man-like Spence, well done.

tootsie on July 9, 2007 at 8:10 am

A good piece Doc,small groups are more effective tackling problems than large groups.The school board election is more important than the presedential election

Mr. tech on July 9, 2007 at 12:34 pm

I haven’t been a fan of the NAACP since I saw how deep the old-school leadership was entrenched in its ‘historical’ positions and practice in my home town. Rather than embrace and cultivate the up and coming young college leadership, they sought to control the students and make them conform to the ‘old’ way of doing things. Instead of standing BEHIND the younger, hipper, more popular student leaders- they demanding to be in FRONT of them. As I see it, if you aren’t at least 50 years old with Rev. or Dr. in front of your name, the NAACP won’t listen to you.

Eddie Griffin on July 9, 2007 at 5:03 pm

Before any theory or hypothesis can be validated, it must be tested by practice, and practice is always implemented locally. Before anyone can advise anyone else what they should do to solve their problems, we must first get it right at home. Otherwise, our proposition is nothing more than an abstract and unproven ideal. In an age where we have neither time nor resources to run the full trial-and-error gambit, we must do good foundational work (observation, examination, diagnosis, and analyses) before coming up with a good hypothetical plan of action. And, we must always evaluate and reevaluate its effectiveness and make modifications where needed (rather than continue a dogmatic failed strategy). I assume we have all grown up with lessons from the revolution, instead of just throwing ideas out into cyberspace for the sake ideas. However, it is not necessary to record every tedious detail related to local action; otherwise, we will find ourselves bogged down in minutiae. Nor is it profitable to only publish announcements of actions without detailing the strategy behind it.

Lester Spence on July 9, 2007 at 5:31 pm

A fundamental aspect of American life is anti-intellectualism. In this case we really haven’t studied the past enough to recognize the truths you’ve spoken. And because most of us who have the ability to speak/write on these issues have the relative freedom to deal with this stuff without actually having to DEAL with white supremacy, we become easily detached from the struggles we claim to speak about.

Cobb on July 8, 2007 at 2:52 pm

This is an area of inquiry that is pregnant with possibilities. In fact it is one of the core issues I think of when I consider the fate of black politics. That is, how do movements scale and what level of organizational effectiveness and capability are black politicos capable of sustaining.

All of my thinking on this matter has led me to the conclusion that blacks have traditionally expected their local successes and failures to echo globally, and thus have always striven to make the most out of symbols. But when faced with the challenges of bringing any matter to a national or international organization, they have failed. This is generally because the American middle class itself is the primary end goal of black political and self-help movements. Similarly, when individual blackfolks attain middle class status, that symbolism is overplayed as well.
cnulan on July 8, 2007 at 3:04 pm

Very Work-man-like Spence, well done.
tootsie on July 9, 2007 at 8:10 am

A good piece Doc,small groups are more effective tackling problems than large groups.The school board election is more important than the presedential election
Mr. tech on July 9, 2007 at 12:34 pm

I haven’t been a fan of the NAACP since I saw how deep the old-school leadership was entrenched in its ‘historical’ positions and practice in my home town. Rather than embrace and cultivate the up and coming young college leadership, they sought to control the students and make them conform to the ‘old’ way of doing things. Instead of standing BEHIND the younger, hipper, more popular student leaders- they demanding to be in FRONT of them. As I see it, if you aren’t at least 50 years old with Rev. or Dr. in front of your name, the NAACP won’t listen to you.
Eddie Griffin on July 9, 2007 at 5:03 pm

Before any theory or hypothesis can be validated, it must be tested by practice, and practice is always implemented locally. Before anyone can advise anyone else what they should do to solve their problems, we must first get it right at home. Otherwise, our proposition is nothing more than an abstract and unproven ideal. In an age where we have neither time nor resources to run the full trial-and-error gambit, we must do good foundational work (observation, examination, diagnosis, and analyses) before coming up with a good hypothetical plan of action. And, we must always evaluate and reevaluate its effectiveness and make modifications where needed (rather than continue a dogmatic failed strategy). I assume we have all grown up with lessons from the revolution, instead of just throwing ideas out into cyberspace for the sake ideas. However, it is not necessary to record every tedious detail related to local action; otherwise, we will find ourselves bogged down in minutiae. Nor is it profitable to only publish announcements of actions without detailing the strategy behind it.
Lester Spence on July 9, 2007 at 5:31 pm

A fundamental aspect of American life is anti-intellectualism. In this case we really haven’t studied the past enough to recognize the truths you’ve spoken. And because most of us who have the ability to speak/write on these issues have the relative freedom to deal with this stuff without actually having to DEAL with white supremacy, we become easily detached from the struggles we claim to speak about.

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Black Struggle from the Local to the Global

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