3. Strain, Christopher Barry. “Civil Rights and ... - Freedom Archives
3. Strain, Christopher Barry. “Civil Rights and ... - Freedom Archives 3. Strain, Christopher Barry. “Civil Rights and ... - Freedom Archives
Shabbazz and H. Rap Brown.~s Hoping to clear his name and tired of living in exile, Willisms rcturnod to the United States in 1969. He lived in Michigan and faced extradition to North Carolina. Williams testified before the U.S . Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator James Eastland of Mississippi, after being subpoenaed by its "Subcommittee to Investigate the Administration of the Internal Security Act and Other Internal Security Laws ." The subcommittee, with Senator Storm Thurmond of South Carolina presiding, grilled Williams for three days in February and March 1970. In an amazing exchange, the details of Williams' exile slowly emerged. Thurmond asked Williams a series of pointed questions . Hinting at treason, Thurmond asked: "Were you advocating or did you suggest that they [black Americans] initiate a revolution?" Williams responded : No . I advocated that they resist violence, racist violence and racist oppression, that they resist it with violence, but some people thought that I had advocated revolution, but the fact was that they did not read the pamphlets very well because I had always stipulated that 1 was for the support of the U.S . Constitution, that you would see if you read these all the way through from the very beginning that my complaint was because the Constitution was not being extended to us and that we should fight for the enforcement of the Constitution of the United States . And I also stated that what would happen, what could possibly happen in America, if these changes for justice and these changes for righteousness did not come about.'6 When asked if he abetted communists "to conspire against the United States," he replied : "When I was in Cuba I was probably having more trouble out of the Communists than the 3sFor more on the Republic of New Africa, see William L Van Deburg, New Day in Babylon : The Black Power Movement and American Culture. 1965" 1975 (Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1992),144-149. ~[J.S . Senate Judiciary Hearings, 9. 216
United States was having." s~ Exasperated, Thurnrond again asked if Williams "had taken any steps to inspire or foster a black revolution in this country while you were within the country or without the country?" No. Not to inspire black revolution, but I did do everything I could to inspire black men to defend their homes, their women and children when there is a breakdown of law, and I always specified in everything I wrote and everything I said that this was the last resort when the law fails to protect our people, when the law fails to protect our women and children, and I hoped to inspire black men to defend themselves, their families, and to defend their communities against aggression, and this is what I ~vocated . 3g To the exclusion of all other interests (including the Communist Party), Williams was totally absorbed with his own sense of mission during the proceedings . This self- involvement matched a pattern he had already established in dealing with the press and the government . He was loyal only to the cause of challenging white supremacy when and where he found it : beyond this immediate cause, he seemed oblivious to political ideology or social activism . Through this process of dialectic exchange, a composite of Williams' beliefs gradually evolved . "I see self-determination not as just a separation of the races, but I sa it as the right of a people to determine their own destiny," he explained. "I think people who are oppressed have a right to relieve themselves in whatever measure. I think it should be legal if possible, but if they can't do it legally 1 think it is the American way to do it with violence ." Williams observed : "If I had been white in America I never would have been hounded and harassed and treated the way I have been tasted . And I resent 3'U.S . Senate Judiciary Hearings, 11 . 3gU.S . Senate Judiciary Hearings, 12. 217
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Shabbazz <strong>and</strong> H. Rap Brown.~s<br />
Hoping to clear his name <strong>and</strong> tired of living in exile, Willisms rcturnod to the<br />
United States in 1969. He lived in Michigan <strong>and</strong> faced extradition to North Carolina.<br />
Williams testified before the U.S . Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator James<br />
Eastl<strong>and</strong> of Mississippi, after being subpoenaed by its "Subcommittee to Investigate the<br />
Administration of the Internal Security Act <strong>and</strong> Other Internal Security Laws ." The<br />
subcommittee, with Senator Storm Thurmond of South Carolina presiding, grilled<br />
Williams for three days in February <strong>and</strong> March 1970. In an amazing exchange, the details<br />
of Williams' exile slowly emerged. Thurmond asked Williams a series of pointed<br />
questions . Hinting at treason, Thurmond asked: "Were you advocating or did you suggest<br />
that they [black Americans] initiate a revolution?" Williams responded :<br />
No . I advocated that they resist violence, racist violence <strong>and</strong> racist oppression, that<br />
they resist it with violence, but some people thought that I had advocated<br />
revolution, but the fact was that they did not read the pamphlets very well because<br />
I had always stipulated that 1 was for the support of the U.S . Constitution, that you<br />
would see if you read these all the way through from the very beginning that my<br />
complaint was because the Constitution was not being extended to us <strong>and</strong> that we<br />
should fight for the enforcement of the Constitution of the United States . And I<br />
also stated that what would happen, what could possibly happen in America, if<br />
these changes for justice <strong>and</strong> these changes for righteousness did not come<br />
about.'6<br />
When asked if he abetted communists "to conspire against the United States," he replied :<br />
"When I was in Cuba I was probably having more trouble out of the Communists than the<br />
3sFor more on the Republic of New Africa, see William L Van Deburg, New Day in<br />
Babylon : The Black Power Movement <strong>and</strong> American Culture. 1965" 1975 (Chicago :<br />
University of Chicago Press, 1992),144-149.<br />
~[J.S . Senate Judiciary Hearings, 9.<br />
216
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