DA505 main
76
26/7/05
7:49 pm
Page 76
Drum: GARY YOUNG IN NEW YORK
“ The church was the only independent organisation African Americans were
allowed during slavery and on through into segregation, which ended just 40
years ago.”
themselves in a foreign land,” writes black American
intellectual, Manning Marable in his book Black
Leadership. “Ministers occupied both spiritual and
secular roles...As the political system became more
democratic and as more blacks were permitted to
participate in voting, it was only a small shift from
running a large church to running for public office.”
This had a clear effect not just on their message but
on their methods. It gave fruit to a culture of organisation in which political belief, like faith, became an
absolute; dissent, like heresy, led to sanctions and
even expulsion; and leaders have generally been a
hybrid of preacher and politician – regarded by their
core supporters not only as men of ideas to be
engaged with, but as visionaries
to be revered.
In terms of creating
dramatic one-offs,
whether it be the million
man march or even the
march on Washington, this
has been incredibly
effective. And during a time
of crisis like the civil rights
movement it produced real
gains. But its dependence on
charismatic and occasionally
demagogic characters
provides no longstanding
structures to carry that agenda
forward during periods that are
not characterised by crisis.
Nor does it create the space
for democratic debate (how do
you argue with a man of God?)
that any movement needs in
order to develop ideas. This
should not in any way
diminish the achievements of
those concerned. King and Malcolm X in particular
made huge strides in advancing the cause of black
Americans. But it does speak to their limitations of
those men in terms of bequeathing the kind of
institutional framework that could carry on their
great work.
At any one time black America has no shortage of
magnetic, compelling individuals with a powerful mind
and a potent message. Their communities, like their
congregations, hear their call; but a good
preacher, like a good leader, must
also hear their response.
Black Nationalist leader Malcolm X was shot and
killed February 21st 1965 while addressing a
rally of 500 at the Audubon Ballroom. Malcolm
(right), is shown with Nobel Peace Prize winner
Dr. Martin Luther King in this 1964 photo. Dr
King was shot dead on 4th April 1968 in the
southern US city of Memphis, Tennessee, where
he was to lead a march of sanitation workers
protesting against low wages and poor working
conditions. Bettmann/CORBIS