Summary Of Anne Braden's A Time To Organize

In “ A Time to Organize” an address by Anne Braden she states “ I find people just don't know about the Sixties, the mass media has totally distorted the Sixties.” I find this very interesting because I find it to yield truth about many other aspects of history in American society. This quote is referring to the lack of public knowledge about the conditions African Americans faced during this period. The mass media is responsible for glossing over society’s flaws and missteps. In present day America slavery is spoken of like a distant tragedy, occurring hundreds of years ago. False. Slavery, segregation, and oppression was alive in our parents and grandparents era, and is still affecting the modern public to some degree. Instead of acknowledging
this prominent event of American history, the media tries to dissociate and overlook the past.
Secondly I am fascinated when Mrs. Braden declares “ this country was built on white supremacy- I prefer the term ‘white supremacy’ to ‘racism’-because it's more what we really mean.” America from its birth was racist in nature. Stealing land from the natives then kicking them off to the side, that isn't just racism, it's white supremacy. I find this statement interesting because even though Anne herself is white, she recognizes that her same people are in the wrong.
Lastly I find Anne’s claim about activism to be intriguing. She disclosed her thoughts on this issue by saying “it wasn’t all Martin Luther King, although he played a very important role as a spokesperson and articulator of a vision, but it was the black kids.” It find this interesting because it is an observation that remains relevant in any sort of activism. Protests, marches, and movements all use a face as their voice of reason, their martyr if you will, but it is the youth in the shadows that are driving the progression. Without the youth’s involvement, the Civil Rights Movement would have floundered by lacking the support and passion the youth provided.