We Are All Blood Brothers Nationalism James
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LIBERATORVol . IV, No. 7 JULY 1964 35c EXCLUSIVE THIS MONTH We Are All Blood Brothers MALCOLM X Nationalism Harold Cruse James Baldwin Official Angry Negro Review; Blues For Mr. Charlie Clebert Ford G hosts Langston Hughes LIBERATORVol . IV, No . 7 July 1964 1,1111-R .ITOR : is the voice of the Afro-American protest movement in the United Sta.tes and the liberation movement of Africa . Copyright 1964, by AFRO-AMERICAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC. Office: 244 East 46 Street, New York, N .Y . 10017 tel: YUkon 6-5939, area code 212 Subscription Prices: within Continental United States Single copy: 35~ 1 year $3 .00 ; 2 years $5.50 foreign surface mail 1 year $5 .00; foreign air mail 1 year $11 .00 All manuscripts, letters, subscription orders, change of address should be sent to:///;/:R ITIIK 244 East 46 Street, New York, N .Y . 10017 ADVERTISING RATES SENT UPON REQUEST Daniel H, Watts editor-in-chief EDITORIAL BOARD Harold Cruse NATIONAL Clebert Ford Carlos E . Russell THE ECONOMICS OF BLACK NATIONALISM (part 1 of 3) Charlie L. Russell by Harold Cruse . 8 C . E . Wilson JOHN LEWIS OF SNCC STAFF An Exclusive Interview Clebert Ford . 14 by Lowell P . Beveridge, Jr. UN REPORT by Daniel H . Watts . 16 production editor NATIONALIST STUDENT Evelyn B . Kalibola CONFERENCE ex . secretary by Don Freeman . .18 James C . Finkenstoedt THE BAG'S TOO HEAVY distribution by Herb Ottley . 19 C lebert Ford UNCHAIN THE LION advertising by Rolland SneIIings . .20 Leo Carty AFRICA Tom Feelings i Ilustrators WE ARE ALL BLOOD BROTHERS L. Haggins by Malcolm X . 4 Robert Mc Lucas U .S . IMAGE IN GHANA Leroy by T . D . Baffoe . .17 photographers Carty-Esannoson Assoc . THEATRE promotion JAMES BALDWIN : OFFICIAL ADVISORY BOARD ANGRO NEGRO Review of "Blues for Mr. Charlie" James Baldwin by Clebert Ford . 7 Ossie Davis SPORTS Len Holt L. H . Michaux BOXING : BLACK HOPE, Richard B . Moore WHITE COP-OUT by Clayton Riley . .12 Willard Moore Capt . Hugh Mulzac PO ETRY George B . Murphy, Jr . A . Salaam GHOSTS Uthman by Langston Hughes . .21 Selma Sparks Pau I B . Zuber BOO KS . 22 EDITORIAL Who Speaks For The Negro? "It matters not what our friends may do; they may make OUR CAUSE theirperpetual theme . yetall will be of no avail,so far as we,ourselves, are personally interested without our thinking and acting, as a body, for ourselves ." (Philip A . Bell in the Weekly Advocate, New York, January, 1837) The above statement was made 127 years ago, yet a century later we are still fighting for the right to speak for ourselves . Congressman Adam Clayton Powell is one of the few authentic black leaders who has been democratically elected by the black masses as their spokesman . Despite this incontrovertible fact, the white community through their propaganda mil Is continue to impose on the black community their hand picked handkerchief head "responsible leaders", KING, WILKINS, YOUNG and FARMER . The recent dispute between Congressman Powell and the kindly old professor (complete down to his pipe) from City College, is another clear indication of how the white power structure maintains its stranglehold on the black community . This kindly old professor (a Negro) from the Gothic bluffs overlooking Harlem performed a greatly needed service to the community : his monumental document on Harlem, its ills and its cure is a testament to his personal integrity as a scien- tific researcher . There can be no argument with his conclusions and proposed cures; with the publishing of his report, it was expected by all concerned, includ- ing the professor, that he would return to the classroom on the hill . But now we learn that this "naive non-political" professor has solicited the support of the darling of the white Iiberals,our do-nothing Mayor Wagner, to impose once again a hand-picked "nigrah" leader to direct the affairs of this much needed first step program of rehabilitating Harlem . Immediately the white press and the Greek chorus (Uncle Toms) launched the verbal assault; Congressman Powell was being "irresponsible" for insisting that the director of the project must be a black man who has been with the joint project from the beginning and has his roots in the black community, not one who takes the rubbernecking sightseeing tour of Harlem every four years . On the other hand, the white press insists that Mayor Wagner and the professor are for motherhood and against sin; translated into Mau Mau talk, Harlem was once more to be on the receiving end of the shaft . The phrase that is being bandied about today by the white liberals, "who speaks for the Negro," is another device the power structure has come up with in order to divide and rule . No black community has elected King, Wilkins, Young or Farmer as their spokesman; they have never campaigned for "public office," yet we are constantly being told that they speak for us . This lesson should not be lost to the freedom fighters in the South who are giving their lives in order to in- crease Afro-American voter registration . Even if the right to vote is gained, we must vote for the approved "responsible leader. " Even in the so-called demo- cratic processes, the will of the black people is ignored . Now, White Man, hear this: Adam Clayton Powell was nominated and elected via the secret ballot by the black people of Harlem as our spokesman and leader; until we vote him out of office, he will continue to represent us. No amount of phony white liberalism and missionary tears can change this fact! The one remaining service that the kindlyold professor can perform for Harlem is forhim to retire tothe weed-covered eclectic Gothic structure on 137th Street and Amsterdam Avenue and leave the "driving to us," the black people of the community . DANIEL H . WATTS LIBER.-ITOR` july 1964 3 We Are All Blood Brothers Malcolm X Malcolm X poses beside a statue of President Nkrumah inscribed with The collective African reaction his famous statement, "Seek ye first the political kingdom and all other to America's treatment of the 22 things shall be added unto it. million Afro-Americans first came to my attention in Beirut, Lebanon, where 1 stopped for three days on my way back to Coiro from Mecca . When it was learned that I was in Beirut, the African students at the American University of Beirut im- mediately arranged for me to lec- ture at the Sudanese Cultural Cen- ter . The overflow audience re- ceived the lecture warmly and gave me a glimpse of the interest, sympathy and support our case has among the people abroad once they fully understand our deplorable plight herein America . The Sudan- ese and Lebanese Muslim students kept me up until 3 a .m . after my lecture, trying to learn how they themselves could help the Afro- American in his struggle for free- dom and human dignity . In Nigeria I received an even warmer response at the University of lbadan . After my lecture there, a visiting professor from the West Indies triedto defend America with a verbal attack upon me during the question and answer period . The young Nigerian students leaped on the stage and grabbed the micro- phone from him . Then they ran him off the stage, out of the hall, off the campus, and wou Id have I ynched him had not Dr . Essien Udom (authorof "Black Nationalism," who Nkrumah's Government has welcomed Afro-American exiles to Ghana ; above are Julian Mayfield (left), Shirley Graham DuBois, Maya Angelo Make, and Alice Windom . is teaching at the University of land of the past in current history, patriates, others as exiles . Many Ibadan) intervened . Africa was definitely the Land of Afro-Americans and West Indians At a banquet that night the stu- the Future . who have migrated to Ghana have dents made me an honorary member Ghana is one of the fastest mov- played a prominent role in the very of the Muslim Student's Society of ing countries on the continent . She progressive intellectual atmosphere Nigeria, and bestowed upon me the knows what she wants and where that prevails throughout the coun- name, Omowale , which in Yoruba she isgoing; her leaders are flexible try . Some of the more famous names means "the child has returned ." enough to experiment with all sorts involved are the late Dr . W .E .B . l appeared on Nigerian T .V . of ideas and methods in order to DuBois, his charming wife (the and radio explaining the plight of take the Ghanaian people forward former Shirley Graham), George the Afro-American to the Nigerian on the path of progress . Padmore, Miss Cecil McHardy, Dr . people . I had private discussions Signs of modernization and in- T .R . Makonnen, and many others . withmony governmentand religious dustrialization are everywhere,and The Ghanaians regard the 22 leaders and other persons of the Ghanaian people show an un million Afro-Americans as their prominence in Nigeria . All showed quenchable thirst for education . long lost brothers, and their con- genuine concern for our problem, President Nkrumah told me himself cern with our plight reflects itself and expressed a sincere desire to that the T .V . network now being at all levels of government . They help . installed in Ghana will be used invited me to lecture at the Uni- Nigeria has unlimited natural primarily to educate his people . It versity of Accra at Legon, at the wealth and beauty . It is impossible will not be misused to corrupt the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Insti- for that country to be so heavily moralsof the people by giving them tuteat Winneba,and also permitted veg stated and not have h igh I y fer- an overdose of western movies as me to address the Members of the tile, productive soil .