Urban Confrontation; 8; What's Happening to American Blacks?

Urban confrontation and analysis of the continuing crises facing 20th century man in the American city. Today's recorded guests are Messiah Hewett of the Black Panther Party Roy Innis of the Congress of Racial Equality Dr. Ralph Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. And Roy Wilkins of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Today's program the black color line for perspectives on race. Questions asked in the following program are merely the moderator's method of presenting many sides of today's topic. Here is your host Joseph R.. Nader. Historians tell us that since slavery times black people have been given the short end of the stick. And since slavery times blacks have wondered why asking themselves they obvious question. Is it because I'm blunt. The answer is generally come back. Yes it is because I'm black. A

whispered Yes at first but an answer that in recent years has come to be shouted loud and clear as black Americans have apparently concluded that though color was the great measuring stick of the past it cannot be an acceptable means of measuring a man's worth in the future. On this program you are about to hear four black men talk about what it's like to be black in 20th century America. They propose changes in America and they hope America will take concrete positive decisive action to solve its race problem myself. Brothers on stage with me. We represent but not called America's problem. Is not a problem this particular two Methodist deacons Baptist preaches or the so-called young militants. It's a problem of a whole race. A whole group of people. Social commentators tell us that black Americans are second class citizens

in housing food jobs and education. The question is why do these commentators make such sweeping generalizations. Perhaps the answer is because blacks are the only minority group that has come to this country against its own will. Unlike their fellow citizens who exchanged a life of oppression in Europe for a life of freedom in America slave ships carried blocks from a life of freedom and dignity in Africa to a life of degradation. In America they out for all Americans history is exactly the reverse of most minority groups who have successfully made it in America because no other minority group was involved in the plantation slavery system. At this particular point in their history black Americans are determined to speak out and tell what it feels like to be black in 20th century America. It's not the moles in the world problem you know that is the biggest problem this list of black people black pride the leaders of

Rome here wonder how races the Greeks are against us. So call powerlessness is the problem that we understand and the only thing that's held this country together this and help black people down as long as the rampant racism. And racism as a tenant that was used. Since the days of reconstruction. Was bad and what the Klan were the first fascist in the history of the world. We don't let. The fact. Southern Christian Leadership Conference and we are working every day against it. That this nation can spin. 25 or 30 billion dollars to put a man on the moon and yet not spend $54 to stand a man known to speak right here in Boston Massachusetts. Most black people in this room are very familiar with unemployment low paying jobs high

taxes high cost of living. Evils of the society. Most important of all are something we have not done honestly and consciously. To recognize that we are two distinct people. Sharing the same approximate piece of geography. Segregated. On equal. Because segregation is a condition where any. Two factions of society one dominating the other. One controlling the flow of goods and services. And controlling the institutions and not only their own area but in the area of the other people. But the reason that you have the speakers here before you tonight. Is because we've got a problem and that problem is class survival. One thing about America is it has become so all day to day so much the norm in America that you sort of used to sit down Lester down and cut it up. We sit down and we talk about it. Take your foot off our neck please. And. Come in here and you clap

pause. Give us some donations. So we're right on we're doing we're struggling against racism and saying racism is a genocide. We have. A very critical situation. In the United States at this moment. For black people. We are seeing what could be possibly the first phase. Of what might become a genocidal campaign against black people. It is at this moment. Directed. And it seems to be a national conspiracy. Against the Black Panther Party. Some of those thing to political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Some of the some of us think that it's very necessary. That everybody respect the human rights that everyone has to defend themselves. But in America if you defend yourself when you're not part of the system then you become. The criminal.

The real criminal makes yourself look like the victim of an unprovoked attack. I think it would be shortsighted. If one moment. We fail to heed. The handwriting on the wall of. The clear. Handwriting that say's in less than two years 28 pandas kill. 40 of their leaders arrested. A hundred of their members at least in jail. For sending to the Black Panther Party is not new. We want to bomb the stage can tell you is solving the problem through genocide. Skag through Red Devils. Speak. Resouce fascist pig. To stop. This is. When it. Comes against Baptist machine guns against parents. That's how America solve the problem.

I must admit I'd rather be in Los Angeles or Chicago or anyplace pencils or catching hell right now. Because Panthers talk in any number of black people dressed ourselves to what's meaningful to the black man who may not have a college degree and don't know the U.N. from a frog but he knows a racist fascist pig cop when he sees one. He knows hunger you know his unemployment. Is what I call the American syndrome. It is I don't want to recognize that which I don't like. Itis. A very serious disease. This is the cause the Americans. Not to recognize. Those many millions of Russians after 1917 after the revolution. The same thing is true of the Nationalists today. The problems with the students the black students have here with their fellow students with the administration is not something separate totally divorced from the black community.

There's a relationship. Relationship is the same as that relationship between a Baptist church machine gun and shot up in Detroit. In a patent office or the home machine gun is shot up in Chicago Los Angeles New York Seattle. So we tried we tried. English Southern negro. Arabic Swahili. We do in rock music. We sang the blues. We cry ballads it was the voice of a people granted to a country that has never yet heard that voice. It's been going on for 400 years. The repression has been meted out to black people in this country is the basis of a song me was the basis for Sand Creek. Was a basis for massacre and mass slaughter and mass murder throughout the history of this country. If we can do it than it is

right here in chains don't stand a chance. That's data to. Have an address. Niggas have no rises to respect I was a Supreme Court 1857 and it still holds true today. The courts give us no justice. Years ago. When John F. Kennedy. And then it was Robert Francis Kennedy. And now almost two years ago it was Martin Luther King Jr. and a few days ago it was up Panther brothers over in Chicago and tomorrow it may be me you i.e. anybody. Yeah I anybody out. There I want to make it clear that black people understand what's happening to them. The conditions of battle with America present a unique problem. And of soul will require unique solutions. We have to assume that. The

final solution will be in the interest of both people black and white. Also most assume that there is a solution to this problem that might be more or less mutually satisfactory to both sides. In order to address this problem. We must look to social political and economic factors. And then we can isolate any one of them. Newspapers and magazines radio and TV all of devoted much time to discussing solutions to the nation's racial problem in front of our microphones Roy Innis of corps out of Messiah are here what of the Black Panther Party express their solutions to our race dilemma. Roy speaks of the liberation movement and a messiah who talks about taking the United States government before the United Nations World Court. It is a movement to liberate black people. From white domination. Outside of the American system. We do not seek to reform it. We

do not seek to have a revolution in it. In fact every revolution should come for us. It will come after we liberated. The Black Panther Party's intention. To do what a lot of brothers. Southern Christian Leadership Conference the end of Lucy P. now come in the organization of Afro-American Unity that used to exist talked about. Us to take this government your government which you have passed. Charge it before the United Nations with genocide against the people. We don't think that we have to wait until the genocide is defined by 99 percent of his being his Think like the Indians or the buffaloes. The solution of the nationalists the solution of liberation. Has never really been considered a test. Or even understood for a fact. Let me for a while. Discuss some observations about the condition of black people in America. First of all we exist in the heterogeneous relationship. I have is that two groups two class factions. With different interests.

We live. Our lives through a graphically a pot. We number over 25 million. That's more people than many independent nations. That's where. We have a productivity measured by the gross national product. Of all 140 billion dollars. Which is more productivity than most in the pendent nations. Now it is these kinds of observations. That lead me and the nationalists to assume that we are in fact and they should be. And in terms of coming in the United States. And we must do that as a program where people live in the colonial state do. They must sue for independence. They want to liberate themselves. The monks say they will liberate themselves by any means possible. But we understand that our struggle has got to go on a level to a world court because we're not going to let the people who perpetrated the oppression upon us

stand judge of themselves. We don't think America can do it with an immediate and immediate program. We constructed. And pushed. A bill called the Community self-determination bill. That would have set up and clap communities for the first time. A central line instrument. That had both political and economic functions. That could bring a greater degree of unity to our communities. But the force the federal government to deal directly with us instead of through a pane of attention like the cities or the state. That couldn't find the very necessary step. That was breaking out of the lemon we exist in. The immediate program. Is a move to gain. And create. Political units to convert the rods barriers and the Bostons into. Cities. On par with the Boston

the Harlem's and possibly New York City's The Watts and Pa with Los Angeles. That's such a couple of the time the most political unit and PA which you cobble. So that within that local unit at least at least one condition of our existence. We operate as a majority. We also move simultaneously to gain control and management. Of only institutions operating in our communities. Education. Police sanitation ones there. And most important of all of these massive budgets are the tax monies. That are used by somebody else and hardly ever to serve our interests. A part of the long range program. Is a call for a new social contract. A new constitution. We say the constitutional we exist on the. One that. Makes it impossible for black people to gain a per

capita share of political power with a local state or federal. Can not. In fact. Be the contract that we can live with. So that we say that we need a new country as a constitution between the two factions. Blacks and Whites. That will aid in peaceful coexistence of the two groups. We don't tell it too well. And while America is trying to sell freedom and democracy in South Vietnam by force in South Korea by force American plans. To take back Cuba by force we will make it very difficult cause we will tell them that right here at home America has a problem. America's problem is black people because they don't want us here. We envision a final step. Which would be total autonomy of a black nation in America. A nation that we all can live. In peaceful coexistence with your nation second rate citizenship housing segregation job hiring prejudiced

inferior education to the black man. They use words and phrases are not merely the abstract high principled indictments of a newspaper editorial or a political speech. They are concrete realities that the black Americans struggles with desperately every day of his life. Roy and I was of course Messiah of the Black Panther Party Reverend Ralph David Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Roy Wilkins of the WCP all give their reactions to the race problem and to make predictions about where American society is headed if race relations are not improved. I think the one thing that you have to honor the speakers almost on a standard night form is the fact that America has not had. An outright race war. And it hasn't been because of the goodness of any horse in the Mallee country. Has been because. Baptist preachers and Black Panthers. And so well we can talk to.

When we don't nobody would like to leave America and go someplace. Well I care but because I would not say to go anyplace we said there was some place not we owe our communities. We must gain social economic and political control of it. Does this exactly what you mean by the evil America. We're not talking about geographically or physically going cause the models with less blood to gain control of the curve. You know how. Is it to fashion to suggest that we need more flexibility in our civil rights campaigns. Let us not become so inflexible in thought and that's. That we too like our opponents become vulnerable. But let none of us. In the north or in the south. Activist or not. Fall into the trap at this crucial stage. Of attempting to solve all problems.

Everywhere. By a single method. Or a single formula. The conference was engaged in then and is still engaged in making visible the invisible in this country 40 million poor people. Isolated on a manmade islands of poverty in the midst of an ocean of plenty. Black Panther Party is not going to change it. We're not going underground. If you see us in charge it'll be because we're serving breakfast to hungry children now because we believe that we're going to solace from the heavens it will be because we didn't see what a Baptist preacher or a Methodist preacher or a Catholic priest would deal with the hunger is real and concrete and relevant to the black community. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Has launched and will can turn your trust. For peace in the world. No longer can we borrow a lobbyist and say a soul follow.

What we can open our fingers and we can say peace because we know that black and white together. We can overcome. You say well we got opportunities and we may have a black man on the moon. But we've got too many of you. So if you send one to the moon and you send 200000 Vietnam we're not going to call it progress. Refuse to have you define progress for us. Nonviolence is not the weapon of the Coll. what. Non-violence is the weapon of the strong. And if you think that you are going to stop us or frighten us talking about an Iraq and that one individual ought to take his keys keys he's before the court. Then you may as well get another McCarron act and build some more concentration camps because we hear that and we don't let nobody a time of need a pair of black panther parties not against nonviolence we just believe there's a time a place.

Now where if you start throwing things. You know. I'm not I'm a militant. I'm no mom I'm the one who will move aggressively move to a goal. And I'm not going to imitate Louis this. Raises the side of a girl. And the races myself. If you love Taipei. You understand the knack of the rhetoric and I use the vernacular in the rhetoric of people who've been up against a wall for want of years and we find no solace in nonviolence. We find no peace in turning the other cheek continuously. You have too many Panta funerals. We got ransom we got Bayo 2 million dollars in New York. No trial no charges no nothing. Black America has a different

definition for genocide America has a different definition for what they call the civil rights problem. Well we donate to the labels summerize problem militants radicals conservatives. We don't wear black. And I don't think that any. Black person in this room on stage off of the night is a struggle for survival. Let me say to white America today let me say to the power structure the day. I join trick of divide and conquer won't work and I'm out. We have discovered that the enemy is not at this table. That the enemy is out. Even though we may differ. On our tactics and we may differ on our strategy and what our goal is the same that our life all American citizens. America has two choices. Genocide which is based on race war and which can only be averted by communicating with people like the people we have on stage

here. Raise whereas only thing can save your country so you've got a choice. You become part of the problem or part of the solution. Communicate meaningfully and work together. Or just stay later for I don't like niggers anyway. I say to black people in particular. And I say to America in general. Come. Let us reason together today. For if we don't. Tomorrow. Will be consumed and devoured by the sword. The goal of the struggle. Is so vital. And Happiness. But if we can live. Life. With dignity. We will have that went on. Why are you not respond to bring your own bomb. Around St.. And I live it every now and then. We don't have no damn initially gave us downtown Boston.

We obliged them we hear them over the bridge. I'm here with a bar. I don't know you've ever smelled in tear gas and. Will you have a mainstay of the white nose deal with that. Well not do you would solve one of the people who stand up and move toward that goal through civil disobedience. And say you can do with me whatever you choose to do with me. But I will not have you here in the city to which job home and that which I know. There is not. Precedent. To destroy me and even after you destroyed my interest in the womb to come. To you made you go

where you don't want to be. You have just heard four black Americans express their ideas about America's race problem. Propose solutions to this racial dilemma and give their opinions on the specific race issues that confront the nation. Many may not agree with all of the ideas expressed but in solving a society's social problems all kinds of conflicting ideas and conflicting interpretations should be heard in the continuing quest for greater understanding and trust between black and white Americans. The views and opinions expressed on the preceding programs do not necessarily represent those of the program posed. Joseph R. Baylor Northeastern University for this station. Questions I asked were merely the moderators method of presenting many sides of

today's topic. In cooperation with Boston College Northeastern University has brought you a messiah Hewett of the Black Panther Party Roy N-S of the Congress of Racial Equality. The Ralph Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. And Roy Wilkins of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Today's program the black hole not for perspectives on race. Your program host has been those of our Baylor and director department of radio production. Urban confrontation has produced for the division of instructional communications of the nation's largest private university. Northeastern University. Comments on this program or requests for a recorded copy of any program in this series may be addressed to urban confrontation. Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts 0 2 1 1 find. This week's program was produced and directed by George Rowland technical supervision by John Locke the executive producer's order and confrontation is Steve Friedman. Your announcer.

Dave Hammer. This is the national educational radio network.