The Challenge Of Blackness: The Institute Of The Black World And Political Activism In The 1970s (southern Dissent)

The Challenge of Blackness examines the history and legacy of the Institute of the Black World (IBW), one of the most important Black Freedom Struggle organizations to emerge in the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A think tank based in Atlanta, the IBW sought to answer King's question "Where do we go from here?" Its solution was to organize a broad array of leading Black activists, scholars, and intellectuals to find ways to combine the emerging academic discipline of Black Studies with the Black political agenda. Throughout the 1970s, debates over race and class in the Unites States grew increasingly hostile, and the IBW's approach was ultimately unable to challenge the growing conservatism. By using the IBW as the lens through which to view these turbulent years, Derrick White provides an exciting new interpretation of the immediate post-civil rights years in America. Not long after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, the Institute of the Black World (IBW) was formed to seek, as Dr. King compelled, "a higher synthesis" of Black ideologies, objectives and critique. White's (history, Florida Atlantic U.) excellent study critically examines its history as a pragmatic Black Nationalist think-tank. The first chapter explores the IBW's roots in collegiate Black studies programs. There he highlights founding activist-intellectuals like Vincent Harding and Stephen Henderson for their role in disseminating the IBW's consensus-building agenda of "collective scholarship". The second chapter chronicles the separation of the IBW from the Martin Luther King Center over the latter's "rigid adherence to liberalism" and how the IBW handled this organizationally and financially. The third chapter explores the shift toward a broader "Black perspective" from its narrower concerns with Black studies curricula, and the group's political analyses and formation of a Black Agenda Network. The fourth chapter continues this exploration in IBW publications like Monthly Report and Black World View, focusing on the IBW's dedication to moving beyond the sectarianism growing between Black Nationalists and Marxists while becoming more radical in its analyses of racialized political economy, and its outreach to grass-roots organizations. The fifth chapter looks at the IBW's decline, including financial trouble, physical violence and the general conservative backlash against Black radicalism. The concluding chapter briefly evaluates the IBW's legacy in Black studies, Black political radicalism and its lessons for 21stt Century organizations. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) A Think Tank Based In Atlanta, The Ibw Sought To Answer King's Question Where Do We Go From Here? Its Solution Was To Organize A Broad Array Of Leading Black Activists, Scholars, And Intellectuals To Find Ways To Combine The Emerging Academic Discipline Of Black Studies With The Black Political Agenda. Throughout The 1970s, Debates Over Race And Class In The Unites States Grew Increasingly Hostile, And The Ibw's Approach Was Ultimately Unable To Challenge The Growing Conservatism. By Using The Ibw As The Lens Through Which To View These Turbulent Years, Derrick White Provides An Exciting New Interpretation Of The Immediate Post-civil Rights Years In America. -- Book Cover. The Challenge Of Blackness : The Ibw And The Black Studies Movement -- Liberated Grounds : The Ibw's Independence And Reorganization -- Toward A Black Agenda : The Ibw And A Black Political Agenda For The Seventies -- Collective Scholarship : Developing And Promoting Synthetic Analyses -- The Tapes Were The Heart Of The Matter : The Ibw's Infiltration And Decline. Derrick E. White ; Foreword By Stanley Harrold And Randall M. Miller. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Table of Contents vii 8 List of Illustrations ix 10 List of Abbreviations xi 12 Foreword xiii 14 Acknowledgments xvii 18 Introduction: Where Do We Go From Here? The Long Seventies 1 24 1 “The Challenge of Blackness”: The IBW and the Black Studies Movement 19 42 2 “Liberated Grounds”: The IBW’s Independence and Reorganization 59 82 3 “Toward a Black Agenda”: The IBW and a Black Political Agenda for the Seventies 102 125 4 “Collective Scholarship”: Developing and Promoting Synthetic Analyses 136 159 5 “The Tapes Were the Heart of the Matter”: The IBW’s Infiltration and Decline 166 189 Epilogue: The IBW’s Closing and Legacy 192 215 Appendix: IBW Membership, Conferences, and Symposium Lists 203 226 Notes 213 236 Bibliography 241 264 Index 255 278 __The Challenge of Blackness__A think tank based in Atlanta, the IBW sought to answer King's question "Where do we go from here?" Its solution was to organize a broad array of leading Black activists, scholars, and intellectuals to find ways to combine the emerging academic discipline of Black Studies with the Black political agenda.Throughout the 1970s, debates over race and class in the Unites States grew increasingly hostile, and the IBW's approach was ultimately unable to challenge the growing conservatism. By using the IBW as the lens through which to view these turbulent years, Derrick White provides an exciting new interpretation of the immediate post-civil rights years in America.