BLACK CONVENTION MOVEMENT

The Black Convention Movement

[Writer's Last Name, First Name]

[HIST221]

[Short Paper]The Black Convention Movement

Introduction

The paper covers The Black Convention Movement. The conference was called out of necessity. In Gary's Mayor Richard Hatcher's keynote address, he explicitly detailed the failure of the Democratic and Republican party historically to represent Black people. Among the declarations that came out of the conference was an ultimatum to the major parties that essentially demands a greater influence in the parties' operations, but falls short of specifically proposing an independent Black political party unless it is necessary? A permanent Black political movement was cited as immediately necessary to harness the potential Black political power.

Discussion

The Black Convention Movement drew delegates from all over the nation, bringing the total number of participants to 3341. Unique in that this gathering brought closer the representatives of groups with such divergent views as the Black Muslims, the NAACP, and the Black Panthers the convention was designed to consolidate the heretofore unorganized block comprised of about 7.5 million Black voters.

The National Black Political Agenda was the major area of contention among whites and Blacks, alike. Predictably, the press focused upon the anti-busing resolution and that calling for self-determination for Palestinians. Those in the Black community who were dependent upon white-particularly Jewish-support, notably the NAACP, were quick to disclaim any connection with the [Gary] agenda.

Some 10,000 Black folks, of every imaginable ideology and conviction, converged on Gary on March 10-12, 1972 for the National Black Political Convention. From the outset, the assembly was plagued with confusion, dissension, and occasional sabotage. However,that was to be expected at this historic gathering. Says Imamu Amiri Baraka, of the Congress of African Peoples and co-governor of the convention, "Gary is expressive of most of the contradictions existing in Black politics and the Black movement because we consciously tried to draw every element to the convention we could”.

The National Black Political Agenda was the major area of contention among whites and Blacks, alike. Predictably, the press focused upon the anti-bussing resolution and that calling for self-determination for Palestinians. Those in the Black community who were dependent upon white-particularly Jewish-support, notably the NAACP, were quick to disclaim any connection with the Gary agenda. Roy Wilkins claimed the document to be "too revolutionary." The Congressional Black Caucus, most of them were conspicuously absent from the convention, also attacked the Gary directives and issued a counter-document. The Black Bill of Rights, on ...