Black Nationalism

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A lot of people would argue that the election of Barack Hussein Obama in 2008 is a ful�llment of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream and that it would not have been possible without the accomplishments and struggles of Dr. King. While this author quickly acknowledges the tremendous long-term contributions Dr. King made to the African- American community, a slightly different perspective will be taken - the perspective that President Obama would not have been elected to the highest of�ce in the United States of America if it had not been for the efforts of the Black Nationalist Movement.

Black Nationalism is often misrepresented by those outside the Movement as a radical pro-Black movement that has at its core anti- White sentiment. Nothing could be further from the truth. Black Nationalism promotes Black pride and the empowerment of the African-American community. It also promotes a sense of identity in the culture, values, and traditions of African ancestry that does not seek to deny contributions people of the world have made to the African-American community, but advocates self-suf�ciency. Is that

sentiment anti-White? Absolutely not. What it strives to do is empower the people to �nd their worth based on not being or becoming something that denies the rich legacy and history of Blacks in America and the world.

Recently, a profound quote was shared with me: Until the lion tells (and shares) his own history, the tales of a nation will always tell the stories of the hunter. This movement can be credited for putting African-American history into the textbooks and the curriculum of colleges and universities across the country. This movement is responsible for sayings like, "Say it Loud" and "I'm Black and I'm Proud." It was this movement that gave a man of Kenyan and White American ancestry the ability to look in the mirror and see a positive image and the possibility. This movement reinforced an image that allowed a community to come together and see the possibility of an articulate African- American man and his African-American family occupying the White House and governing from the Oval Of�ce. This movement allowed for some to reject the man on the basis of his political stance, while others embraced him.