Stokely Carmichael
“Ready for the revolution!”
Stokely Carmichael, also known as Kwame Ture, was born in the Port of Spain, Trinidad, on June 29, 1941. He is best known for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement as well as the Black Power Movement during the 1960’s. Carmichael began his journey to becoming a prominent figure in African-American History when he was accepted into Howard University in 1960, even though he had been offered scholarships to other prominent universities, Carmichaels choice was Howard, due to the fact that he wanted to stay close to the Civil Rights Movement and be around those that were active in it. This is where he would start learning and questioning the rights of blacks and the treatment thereof, and participate in the pursuit of fair and equal treatment. Stokely Carmichael came to the United States in 1952 at the age of eleven, and by the time he turned 13 he became a naturalized citizen. When Stokely was fifteen he was accepted to the prestigious Bronx High School, this is where he was introduced to a different social set than what he was accustomed to, now he was surrounded by New York City’s rich white liberal elite. He learned very early on of the racial differences that divided him from his classmates and began to develop his thinking of what was wrong with the separation of races not only in his school, but also in the nation itself. He stated that, “Now that I realize how phony they all were, how I hate myself for it. Being liberal was an intellectual game with these cats. They were still white, and I was black.1” In 1960 as a senior in high school Carmichael learned about the sit-in movement for desegregation in the south and joined the Congress of Racial Equality, protesting Woolworth stores in New York that still had segregated lunch counters in the South. This only fueled his desire to continue his pursuit of his education, even though he was offered a
Stokely Carmichael, also known as Kwame Ture, was born in the Port of Spain, Trinidad, on June 29, 1941. He is best known for his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement as well as the Black Power Movement during the 1960’s. Carmichael began his journey to becoming a prominent figure in African-American History when he was accepted into Howard University in 1960, even though he had been offered scholarships to other prominent universities, Carmichaels choice was Howard, due to the fact that he wanted to stay close to the Civil Rights Movement and be around those that were active in it. This is where he would start learning and questioning the rights of blacks and the treatment thereof, and participate in the pursuit of fair and equal treatment. Stokely Carmichael came to the United States in 1952 at the age of eleven, and by the time he turned 13 he became a naturalized citizen. When Stokely was fifteen he was accepted to the prestigious Bronx High School, this is where he was introduced to a different social set than what he was accustomed to, now he was surrounded by New York City’s rich white liberal elite. He learned very early on of the racial differences that divided him from his classmates and began to develop his thinking of what was wrong with the separation of races not only in his school, but also in the nation itself. He stated that, “Now that I realize how phony they all were, how I hate myself for it. Being liberal was an intellectual game with these cats. They were still white, and I was black.1” In 1960 as a senior in high school Carmichael learned about the sit-in movement for desegregation in the south and joined the Congress of Racial Equality, protesting Woolworth stores in New York that still had segregated lunch counters in the South. This only fueled his desire to continue his pursuit of his education, even though he was offered a