Black Power

About Black Power

Black power is a political slogan and a name which is given to various associated ideologies which aim to achieve self-determination for black people.[1][2] It is primarily, but not exclusively, used by black activists and other proponents of what the slogan entails in the United States.[3] The black power movement was prominent in the late 1960s and early 1970s, emphasizing racial pride and the creation of black political and cultural institutions to nurture, promote and advance what was seen by proponents of the movement as being the collective interests and values of black Americans.[4] The basis of black power is various ideologies that aim at achieving self-determination for black people in the U.S., dictating that black Americans create their own identities despite being subjected to pre-existing societal factors.[5] "Black power" in its original political sense expresses a range of political goals, from militant self-defense against racial oppression to the establishment of social institutions and a self-sufficient economy, including black-owned bookstores, cooperatives, farms, and media.[6][7][8][9] However, the movement has been criticized for alienating itself from the mainstream civil rights movement, and its support of black separatism.[10][11]