Black Power

In Black Power, the idea of complacency stuck out to me regarding the fact that following the Civil War, African Americans still faced segregation and dehumanization. Throughout society  they were looked upon as less than the white man, and were born into a society where they had to fight for power whereas the white man was born into it already. Especially when pertaining to a black man in politics. If you were an African American, society needed you to prove that you were worthy and it is discussed here when coming upon elections.  “It was the old game of putting black people on the defensive, making the black man question his ability, his talents, himself.” (107) Throughout our class in African American protest, we discussed this point alot. The idea that the black man was born into these preconceived notions about his ability and just how far he can go in society. Whereas, the white man does not have to think about that issue at all. In this quote, it starts off with “the old game” which tells the reader that this “game” of thinking that the black man has to fight for his own rights has been going on far too long. Then, the fact that the white society has made the black man question if he is good enough to hold a position of power even though it is his right to do so. Furthermore leading to what qualifications do you need, and the idea that if you are a different race, you do not meet those. Furthermore, the idea that people in politics did not look past what was behind your race and had no idea what type of person you were, because if you were African American, they already had prejudices behind them. I find it interesting how after so many years following the civil war, there were still such significant problems still pertaining to race threatening the white man's power.

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