“NEW CONCEPTS FOR THE NEW MAN:” THE INSTITUTE OF THE BLACK WORLD AND THE INCOMPLETE VICTORY OF THE SECOND RECONSTRUCTION DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Derrick Edward White, B.S., M.A. The Ohio State University 2004 Dissertation Committee: Warren Van Tine, Co-Adviser Leslie Alexander Demetrius Eudell Approved by _________________________ Adviser Department of History Copyright by Derrick E. White ABSTRACT The Institute of the Black World (IBW) was a group of Black intellectuals who believed that Black liberation was both a political and intellectual project. Founded in 1969, the Atlanta, Georgia based organization was initially a component of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. After a tumultuous separation, IBW became an independent organization. Although dozens of Black intellectuals passed through the institute, the core members of the organization were historian Vincent Harding, historian Robert Hill, and political scientist William Strickland. The intellectuals that supported the institute were world renown, including C.L.R. James, Walter Rodney, St. Clair Drake, Lerone Bennett, Jr., and Joyce Ladner. The dramatic call for Black Power and its subsequent manifestations of Black Studies, and Black Politics influenced this eclectic group. The Institute sought to provide rigorous conceptual, social, political, and economic analysis of the Black Freedom Struggle. The goal of this project is twofold. First, I examine the history of the understudied Institute. Second, using the Institute as a prism, I examine the intellectual trajectory of the Black Freedom Struggle in the 1970s. IBW involved itself in many of the debates that defined the intellectual history of the 1970s, namely ii developing a “Black University,” a Black agenda, and a conceptual framework beyond Liberalism, Nationalism, and Marxism. iii Dedicated to my Mom and Dad and the rest of my family who taught me the importance and meaning of Black History iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to give honor and thanks to God, for without his guidance none of this would have been possible. I would like to thank my advisors, Warren Van Tine, Leslie Alexander, and Demetrius Eudell. All of you have been instrumental in seeing the completion of this project. Warren, you have been tremendous in helping me negotiate the path from generals to dissertation. You have especially been supportive in getting all the paperwork complete while I was in California. Leslie, I am truly thankful your intellectual guidance and friendship. When I felt like quitting, you inspired with your words and your actions. Your mentoring has been invaluable and I hope to give my students the advice and support that you have given me. Demetrius, you have witnessed my intellectual development since the beginning of graduate school. I want to thank you for your patience and intellectual support. I especially want to thank you for continuing to be apart of this project, while not at The Ohio State University. In any project, you incur many debts and I want to acknowledge these institutions and people for their support. v I would like to thank The Ohio State University Graduate School and Department of History for their financial support. In addition, the research was supported by University of California – Santa Barbara, Department of Black Studies Dissertation Fellowship. I would like to the people in Santa Barbara for their help. Will Hughes, Chris McAuley, Mireille Miller-Young, Cedric Robinson, and Stephanie Robinson each of you made my experiences in California memorable and aided me in completing this project in your own way. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books division support was irreplaceable. I want to thank the staff – Andre Elizee, Steven G. Fullwood, Judy Holder, Diana Lachatanere, and Nurah- Rosalie Teter – without their help I would have never gained access to the Institute of the Black World Papers. In addition, I would like to thank Pat Clark at Emory University’s Woodruff Library, who provided access the Vincent Harding Papers and Karen Jefferson and the archives and special collection staff at Atlanta University’s Woodruff Library. Finally, I want to thank friends and family. This project as much for you as it is for me. Behailu and Lisa Dagnatchew, David and Tamiko Hubbard, Alvin and Zykia Lee, Lee Meggett, and the rest of New Reign thanks for your support and reminding me to have fun. To my friends and now family in Columbus - Brad Austin, Daryle Cobb, Jelani Favors, Mark Hatcher, Danny Hoey, Javonne Paul, Ernest Perry, Seantele Rowe, Shurita Thomas-Tate, Diallo Wilkerson, and Dwayne Zimmerman - thanks for your continual support. vi To my family, thanks for supporting in numerous ways. I am grateful for my little brother Jerome White who always talked to me about my work even when I know he did not want to. To my parents, Howard and Joyce White, thank you for your unceasing support – I love you. vii V I T A May 31, 1975 Born – Lexington, Kentucky 1997 B.S. Secondary Education – Mathematics, University of Maryland – College Park 1997-1998 Graduate Enrichment Fellow, The Ohio State University 1998-1999 Graduate Research Associate, The Ohio State University 1999 – 2003 Graduate Assistant, The Ohio State University – Department of History 2002 Graduate Student Alumni Research Award, The Ohio State University 2003 Foster Rhea Dulles Award, The Ohio State University, Department of History 2003-2004 University of California – Santa Barbara, Department of Black Studies Dissertation Fellow PUBLICATIONS “‘Blacks Who Had Not Themselves Personally Suffered Illegal Discrimination’: THE SYMBOLIC INCORPORATION OF THE BLACK MIDDLE CLASS ,” IN JOSEPH YOUNG AND JANA EVANS BRAZIEL , RACIAL RUPTURES : R ACE , C ULTURAL AMNESIA , AND DISCIPLINARY TRANSFORMATIONS . CHAMPAIGN , IL: U NIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESS , F ORTHCOMING 2004 viii FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: History ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………….. .ii Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………………..v Vita………………………………………………………………………………………….viii Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………..1 Chapter 2: The Limits of Racial Liberalism……………………………………………...15 Chapter 3: “Liberated Grounds:” the Black University and the Founding Of the Institute of the Black World………………………………………52 Chapter 4: “We Are Intellectuals:” Re-organizing the Institute of the Black World……………………………………………………………….101 Chapter 5: “Towards a Black Agenda:” IBW and Black Independent Politics……..138 Chapter 6:”By Its Very Design and Working:” IBW and the Incomplete Conceptual Framework………………………………………………….179 Chapter 7: Epilogue: The Incomplete Victory………………………………………….228 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………….249 x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Frantz Fanon, Martinican psychiatrist and Algerian anticolonial activist, concluded The Wretched of the Earth with a plea to Third World intellectuals and activists not to imitate European ideas. He stated, “Leave this Europe where they are never done talking of Man, yet murder men everywhere they find them, at the corner of every one of their own streets, in all the corners of the globe.” Rather than replicate Europe, Fanon urged Third World intellectuals to “create the whole man,” through a “new history of man.” Such a history would take into account Europe’s contributions to the world, while not forgetting the crimes of racial hatred, class warfare, slavery, and exploitation. Fanon believed, “For Europe, for ourselves, and for humanity, comrades, we must turn over a new leaf, we must work out new concepts , and try to set afoot a new man.” Following Fanon’s directive, The Institute of the Black World attempted to create “new concepts” in order to move its organization and the Black Freedom Struggle forward during 1970s. 1 The Institute of the Black World (IBW) was a collection of Black intellectuals who, according to its “Statement of Purpose,” used their minds “in the service of the 1 Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth , (New York, NY: Grove Press, 1963), 311-316. Emphasis mine. 1 Black community.” 2 Founded in 1969, the Atlanta, Georgia based organization was initially affiliated with the Martin Luther King Center established in honor of the slain civil rights leader. The organization analyzed Black economic, social, and political conditions; believing Black liberation was a political and intellectual project. They sought to provide new concepts for the Black Freedom Struggle that had stagnated in the stifling environs of the 1970s. Although dozens of Black intellectuals passed through the institute, the core members of the organization were historian Vincent Harding, historian Robert Hill, and political scientist William Strickland. Other intellectuals that supported the institute were world renown, including C.L.R. James, Walter Rodney, St. Clair Drake, Lerone Bennett, Jr., and Joyce Ladner. The dramatic call for Black Power and its subsequent manifestations in Black Studies and Black Politics influenced this eclectic group, as the Institute sought to provide rigorous conceptual, social, political, and economic analysis. The goal of this dissertation is twofold. First, I examine the history of the understudied Institute. Using the Institute of the Black World’s archival papers, which include a newsletter, meeting minutes, internal memos, and transcribed lectures, I outline the major events in the organization’s history.