Pan-Africanism
Stokely Carmichael was born on June 29, 1941, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. As a toddler Carmichael’s parents immigrated to New York, entrusting him to the care of his grandmother. At the age of eleven Carmichael joined his parents in America, Carmichael’s parents worked hard, long hours to provide for their family, Carmichael 's father, Adolphus, was a carpenter as well as a taxi driver, Carmichael’s mother, Mabel worked on a steamship line as a stewardess. Carmichael’s parents worked hard in the hopes of living the American dream, the same dream that Carmichael would later despise as he saw it as a form of social and economic oppression. Later in life Carmichael was quoted saying “My old man believed in this work-and-overcome stuff. He was religious, never lied, never cheated or stole. He did carpentry all day and drove taxis all night and the next thing that came to that poor black man was death from working too hard. And he was only in his 40’s.” ("Stokely Carmichael Biography").
Earning citizenship in the United States at the age of 13, Carmichael and his family migrated from the city to a predominantly Italian and Jewish neighborhood called Morris Park, located in the Bronx, New York. Carmichael succeeded academically, earning a place in the Bronx High School of Science, a prestigious institution that contained the cream of the crop from New York City’s white population. During his time in high school Carmichael began to make observations about the hegemony between whites and other race groups in the school, as well as become aware of the social hierarchy that existed in the school system. Politics began to intrigue Carmichael as he observed the civil rights movement on television, Carmichael would come to befriend a man names Gene Davis, a communist who often attended Communist league meetings and rally demonstrations; friendship with Davis and exposure to communist ideals and politics would later influence Carmichael 's philosophies and opinions
Earning citizenship in the United States at the age of 13, Carmichael and his family migrated from the city to a predominantly Italian and Jewish neighborhood called Morris Park, located in the Bronx, New York. Carmichael succeeded academically, earning a place in the Bronx High School of Science, a prestigious institution that contained the cream of the crop from New York City’s white population. During his time in high school Carmichael began to make observations about the hegemony between whites and other race groups in the school, as well as become aware of the social hierarchy that existed in the school system. Politics began to intrigue Carmichael as he observed the civil rights movement on television, Carmichael would come to befriend a man names Gene Davis, a communist who often attended Communist league meetings and rally demonstrations; friendship with Davis and exposure to communist ideals and politics would later influence Carmichael 's philosophies and opinions
Cited: Carmichael, Stokely, and Charles Hamilton. Black Power: Politics of Liberation in America. New York: Random House, 1967. Print. Carmichael, Stokely, and Ekwueme Michael Thelwell. Read for Revolution: The Life and Struggles of Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture). New York: Scribner, 2003. Print. Churcher, Kalen M.A. "Black Power." Voices of Democracy 4 (2009): 132-48. Print. Cobb, Charles E., Jr. "From Stokley Carmichael to Kwame Ture." Project Muse. Johns Hopkins University, Jan. 2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. . Jeffries, Hasan Kwame. "SNCC, Black Power, and Independent Political Party Organizing in Alabama, 1964-1966." Journal of African American History 91 (2006): 171. Print. "Kwame Ture 1941-1988." Kwame Ture 1941-1988. Race and History, 15 Nov. 1999. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. . "Stokely Carmichael Biography." Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . "Stokely Carmichael or Kwame Ture." Kwame Ture. TriniCenter, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. . Thomas, Greg. The Sexual Demon of Colonial Power: Pan-African Embodiment and Erotic Schemes of Empire. Bloomington: Indiana, n.d. Print. Witt, Karen De. "Conversations/Kwame Ture;Formerly Stokely Carmichael And Still Ready for the Revolution." New York Times 14 Apr. 1996: n. pag. Print.