Black Power: The Politics of Liberation

Black Power: The Politics of Liberation is an analysis of systematic racism in America. The book, by civil rights activist Kwame Ture (then known as Stokely Carmichael) and political scientist Charles V. Hamilton, gives insight to overt and covert forms of racism found in America. Written in 1967 and originally published as Black Power: The Politics of Liberation in America, the revolutionary literature has become a staple in the Civil Rights movement as well as the Black Power movement. Still relevant today, Black Power gives insight into the roots of systematic racism seen today, as well as a means of reforming the traditional political process for the future.^[1][2]

One of the main focuses of the book is describing the struggles that black communities faced with trying to get involved in politics. During the 1950s black people still faced severe discrimination as well as segregation, and because of this, they faced problems with being able to vote and have a bigger role in the political world. These issues led to the creation of certain groups and organizations, like the Baptist ministerial alliances, but with the power that these organization held, they were still afraid to enter the public political arena for the black community.^[3] Ture and Hamilton then continue to write about the ways in which black communities tried to be active in politics, and how they continued to be challenged with overcoming the white power structure that was in place.

The book also focuses on defining Black Power and understanding the larger context of the movement in modern society. Ture and Hamilton write that Black Power meant more than simply changing the physical, material conditions of inequality faced by black Americans; it also meant changing perspectives of race relations in a historical context.^[4]

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