Negro Digest - Freedom Archives

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and compartmentalization . We cannot deny that to some extent black people too have internalized aspects of the dual American ideology . This is the crux of the issue dealt with here . The situation is more complex than that involving whites in that neither portion of the American ideology has been adequate for black Americans. There have always been the rudiments of a functional black ideology in our communities . However, it has had to contend with tremendous odds for its mere survival, let alone growth ; we control few instruments of communication and education . The result has been three distinct and often inconsistent constellations of ideas, attitudes, and beliefs permeating black society . Small wonder that so many black individuals experience "hang-ups" and, more important, there is little to maintain our programs for change . Many, including Harold Cruse (Crisis of the Negro Intellectual and Rebellion or Revolution) and 90 other cultural nationalists, have recognized the ideological need of which I speak . Their proposal that cultural nationalism is necessary to fill the void does not seem adequate . The American political, economic, and cultural apparatus seems far too complex for cultural nationalism to be sufficient . The final resolution may, however, involve some aspects of cultural nationalism . It is incumbent upon those seriously committed to black studies to seek out the ideological positions that would be most beneficial to black people. Black thinkers, especially black psychologists, must aid in the development and transmission of the new black ideology . This is the challenge of black studies at this juncture . Unless it is met, we have simply added another "agency" to the pile and the next explosion will be just a bit stronger . Perhaps then we will deal with the gut issues of a black ideology and, ultimately, a truly "American" ideology . J . Frank Yates, author of the assessment, "Black Studies at This Juncture," is acting director of the Afro-American Studies Program at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor . March 1970 NEGRO DIGEST

yJOOIIf I /Ol¢(A.~ that can be escalated to the heart of the problem ( "the end to imperialist rule"), is the organization that is most progressive . This he sees as inevitably connected with the organization of the poor workers in the western metropolitan countries . However, he cites Frantz Fanon on the limitation of Black Nationalism but fails to deal with the racist colonial exploitation enjoyed by the European (white) working class . He applauds the African innovation of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, but fits all his analysis into models of European revolution . In fact, we look at this analysis as glimpses of Black revolution as defined by James' version of Marxist-Leninism . But this is not a criticism as much as a clarification . This volume calls us to develop an analysis of Pan-African action . Black people in the United States must begin to look at the world through their African eyes . Along with this work, Black people ought to read books like Not Yet Uhuru, by Oginda Odinga, in order to deal with the specific national developments in African affairs . We ought to read Handbook for Revolutionary Warfare, by Kwame Nkrumah, to consider an ideological plan of action to liberate and unify the entire continent of Africa . And we ought to read Zambia Shall be Free, by Kenneth Kaunda, and Ujamaa: Essays on Socialism, by Julius Nyerere, to probe more fully the positive development of African models of revolution today . This is the beginning of a people conscious of their world, living in thought and emotion the everyday struggles of African people everywhere on the earth . We must be a united African people, and for that we need to have a united all- NEGRO DIGEST March 1970 (Continued from page 52) African analysis of African affairs . Brother James provides us with a provocative beginning for this new step forward . But more than this is needed from brothers like C . L. R . James because relevant literature is so sparse . He has been involved in the history of the history of the Pan-African movement, and he has been intimate friends with outstanding figures like W . E . B . Du Bois, George Padmore, Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and many others . We need an informal history of how these men came together and worked as they did . We need a detailed analysis of the way they dealt with problems that are plaguing the Black struggle today . We need an analysis of the relevance of Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky for the Pan- African struggle of today as compared with the 1930's . We need no autobiography from C . I . R. James . Nearly as important as the substance of this book is the organization that published it . Drum and Spear Press is a new development in the current historical turn to Africa . It is connected with a book storeinformation center, an educational center, and other services designed to heighten the consciousness of Black people to an African awakening, and it is organizing Black people to develop skills that will concretely contribute to the Pan-African struggle . It is significant that the exploitative decision of white publishers to reprint out-of-print volumes has lured and seduced so many integrationist brothers in academic-intellectual circles . But that is merely white people rendering Black Studies meaningless by flooding the market with 19th century writing and making a big fat profit . All of this with the consent of the Black literary estab- 91

yJOOIIf I /Ol¢(A.~<br />

that can be escalated to the heart of<br />

the problem ( "the end to imperialist<br />

rule"), is the organization that is<br />

most progressive . This he sees as inevitably<br />

connected with the organization<br />

of the poor workers in the western<br />

metropolitan countries . However,<br />

he cites Frantz Fanon on the<br />

limitation of Black Nationalism but<br />

fails to deal with the racist colonial<br />

exploitation enjoyed by the European<br />

(white) working class . He<br />

applauds the African innovation of<br />

Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth<br />

Kaunda of Zambia, but fits all<br />

his analysis into models of European<br />

revolution . In fact, we look at this<br />

analysis as glimpses of Black revolution<br />

as defined by James' version of<br />

Marxist-Leninism . But this is not a<br />

criticism as much as a clarification .<br />

This volume calls us to develop an<br />

analysis of Pan-African action . Black<br />

people in the United States must begin<br />

to look at the world through<br />

their African eyes . Along with this<br />

work, Black people ought to read<br />

books like Not Yet Uhuru, by Oginda<br />

Odinga, in order to deal with<br />

the specific national developments in<br />

African affairs . We ought to read<br />

Handbook for Revolutionary Warfare,<br />

by Kwame Nkrumah, to consider<br />

an ideological plan of action<br />

to liberate and unify the entire continent<br />

of Africa . And we ought to<br />

read Zambia Shall be Free, by Kenneth<br />

Kaunda, and Ujamaa: Essays<br />

on Socialism, by Julius Nyerere, to<br />

probe more fully the positive development<br />

of African models of revolution<br />

today . This is the beginning of<br />

a people conscious of their world,<br />

living in thought and emotion the<br />

everyday struggles of African people<br />

everywhere on the earth . We must<br />

be a united African people, and for<br />

that we need to have a united all-<br />

NEGRO DIGEST March 1970<br />

(Continued from page 52)<br />

African analysis of African affairs .<br />

Brother James provides us with a provocative<br />

beginning for this new step<br />

forward .<br />

But more than this is needed from<br />

brothers like C . L. R . James because<br />

relevant literature is so sparse . He<br />

has been involved in the history of<br />

the history of the Pan-African movement,<br />

and he has been intimate<br />

friends with outstanding figures like<br />

W . E . B . Du Bois, George Padmore,<br />

Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and many<br />

others . We need an informal history<br />

of how these men came together and<br />

worked as they did . We need a detailed<br />

analysis of the way they dealt<br />

with problems that are plaguing the<br />

Black struggle today . We need an<br />

analysis of the relevance of Marx,<br />

Lenin, and Trotsky for the Pan-<br />

African struggle of today as compared<br />

with the 1930's . We need no<br />

autobiography from C . I . R. James .<br />

Nearly as important as the substance<br />

of this book is the organization<br />

that published it . Drum and<br />

Spear Press is a new development in<br />

the current historical turn to Africa .<br />

It is connected with a book storeinformation<br />

center, an educational<br />

center, and other services designed<br />

to heighten the consciousness of<br />

Black people to an African awakening,<br />

and it is organizing Black people<br />

to develop skills that will concretely<br />

contribute to the Pan-African struggle<br />

. It is significant that the exploitative<br />

decision of white publishers to<br />

reprint out-of-print volumes has<br />

lured and seduced so many integrationist<br />

brothers in academic-intellectual<br />

circles . But that is merely white<br />

people rendering Black Studies<br />

meaningless by flooding the market<br />

with 19th century writing and making<br />

a big fat profit . All of this with the<br />

consent of the Black literary estab-<br />

91

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