Read the following excerpt from a 1968 interview with Kathleen Cleaver, a leading member of the Black Panther Party:
"The reason for it, I think, is a new consciousness among Black people... We have to begin to define ourselves. For so long, we have been defined by other people... We are saying that we are beautiful, that our blackness is beautiful."
Based on this excerpt, which of the following best describes the core goal of the Black Power Movement highlighted by Cleaver?
- APromoting racial hostility toward non-Black groups as the movement's primary strategy for achieving equality.
- Emphasizing self-determination, cultural pride, and the power of Black people to define their own identity.Answer
- CSeeking the enforcement of de jure segregation laws in northern urban centers.
- DAdvocating for the immediate, federally-mandated emigration of all African Americans to West Africa.
Answer
Emphasizing self-determination, cultural pride, and the power of Black people to define their own identity.
The correct answer shows that the Black Power Movement, as expressed by Kathleen Cleaver, focused on cultivating self-definition, cultural pride, and psychological liberation from Eurocentric standards. This emphasized that Black people should define their own identity and beauty, rather than accepting definitions imposed by a dominant society.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Black Power Movement's focus on self-determination and cultural pride