Why the Black Militant is the foundation of progress for Black America

I am a mixed Black man.

My mom is white, and my dad is black.

While I believe in integration, I also believe in a singular truth, that only the black militant can provide the foundational basis necessary for African Americans to achieve equality within America.

Before I get started let me explain what I mean by the term Black Militant. What I am referring to when I talk about the black militant is an individual who strives for the protection of blackness in all forms with no desire to engage in white America in any way shape or form.

The quintessential issue of race relations in America is seated in the relationship blacks and white have with their own existence. You see, white America believes itself to be the master of its own environment. In other words, they control the basis of their own existence. The relationship black America has with the world is much different. Instead of believing ourselves to be the masters of our own environment, we have been conditioned to understand ourselves simply as a function of our environment. To put it another way, black America sees itself as being ACTED UPON by a larger hostile society. (If you are looking for how and why this strategy was implemented to control blackness in America click here for a copy of my book Real Nigga Real Nigger.)

The only way to change this relationship black America has with the world around us is through a program of self-knowledge. Through a deeper knowledge and understanding of what blackness is and the greatness that has been hidden from us we will develop the confidence in ourselves needed to view ourselves as the masters of our own environments. This is the job of the black militant.

The reason I believe the black militant needs to be the foundation of black progress in America is that only the black militant is capable of protecting the cultural, spiritual and physical well-being of black America. Without this protection from white America, black America is always under threat of further exploitation and annihilation. The black militant is the source of principles such as self-worth, self-respect and self-love which ensures a healthy platform for the development of the black psyche, while at the same time protecting black America from white America’s attempts to instill self-hate, fear, and a deep-seated negative self-image into the black psyche.

Having a healthy platform for the development of the black psyche as well as protecting the black psyche from white America’s attempts to destroy it is fundamentally important because it shatters the shatters the historical relationship between white and black America.

As the basis for the healthy development as the black psyche the black militant provides the OPPORTUNITY to integrate with white America if so desired, but it does not and should not encourage integration as the main strategy for black development.

We have always seen these competing and dueling factions within the movement for black progress. Those that desire integration within the American system and those who wish to stay separate from white America. Setting these factions against each other has always been part of the successful strategy of divide and conquer utilized by the white power structure in America. It is time to understand that BOTH of these factions need to exist because both factions create opportunities for African American progress. It is not an either-or proposition. The black militant must be the core of black progress while any desire for black America to integrate into white America can only happen once after the healthy development of the black psyche has been established.