The Black Power Movement was a time when African American’s were fighting against white supremacy and for black empowerment. It took place in the 1950s and 60s and they used actions, violent and non-violent, to fight for their rights as humans. “Black Power” was a speech given by Stokely Carmichael in 1966 where he discussed Black Power and the Black Power Movement. He discussed ideas such as the fact that bills are made for the white man, not the black man, and the “privileges” black men received after the bills were made were just basic rights. Basically he talks about how black people are treated in the world today and how it needs to change. He also brings up how they need to eliminate the white men in power so for generations to come that is not the norm anymore. He needs to make white men aware that they are not in charge anymore and that integration needs to happen. That is why this speech is given to an entirely white audience at UC Berkley. There is a reason he chose this audience that goes with the whole idea of the speech. The theme of this speech is simple, racism needs to end. It has gone on long enough and finally Carmichael is speaking out to end it.

The first thing Carmichael discusses is a problem that bills are made for the white men and not black men. For example, a black man knows his rights, knows where he is allowed to go and what he is allowed to do, but the white men would not let him. Instead of the bill being passed to allow the black man to do what is just, they make a law to tell the white man to let the black man into that place or let him sit on that bus. The reason this is unfair is so clear. The white man and the black man should have equal rights and there should not be different rules for different people solely based on color. Also, if there does need to be laws put in place make them for the black man. The law should give the black man the right to go into that place, to vote, to sit on that bus not for the white man to allow the black man to do those things. 

The next point Carmichael talks about is white supremacy. The last paragraph gave a perfect example of white supremacy and how unjust it is. Even when making laws, they make them for the white man so that they can tell the black man what he can and cannot do. This is the problem with having all white men in power. If there are no black men in power, there will be no rights for them. In the same way if there are no women in power they will not get any rights, which we still see as a problem today. Back with white supremacy another problem is that for generations to come that will just be known as the norm and it will be continued. Then it will be this never ending cycle of white men in charge and black men being oppressed. Carmichael talks about the fact that the black men know this is a problem and want it to change but because of the way of the world they need to convince the white men to let them do it. 

In order for the black men to get the correct treatment they deserve they need to tell the white men and convince them its unjust. This idea sounds unfair but in the time this was occurring it is what needed to be done for black people to get the rights they deserve. “Every time I tried to go into a place they stopped me. So some boys had to write a bill to tell that white man, ‘He’s a human being; don’t stop him’” (Carmichael 315). This is Carmichael explaining again that there is nothing wrong with him going into a place or doing something, it’s the problem that the white people have with him going into that place. That is why these laws are made, not for the black people but for the white people. This is why Carmichael chose UC Berkley as his audience. The audience contained all white college students which is perfect in an effort to get this changed. The older white men are already stuck in their racist ways while some of the younger college-aged white students may be more open minded. Then, if he changed the minds of the younger white males, the people in power would eventually be segregated. Additionally, by the time these young people grow up, they would be okay with it. Basically, Carmichael chose this audience wisely and is doing it in an effort to convince the white people segregation needs to end. He is over racism and wants to see a change in the world and if the way to do that is to convince the white people to accept him and people of his color that is what he is going to do.

Another problem with white supremacy and the black men not having rights is the fact that bills are passed for them to have rights. There should not be bills passed to tell a person of color where they can go and what they can do. They are human and they should have the same rights as all white males. When the white man would pass a bill to tell the other white men to allow the black men to do certain things, they acted as if it was a privilege for the person of color. “I know that I could vote and that that wasn’t a privilege; it was my right” (Carmichael 315). This is Carmichael explaining that it doesn’t matter what the white people think they’re doing, he knows what they are actually doing. He also knows that they are not doing anything to benefit the black people, just giving them rights that they should have in the first place such as voting. They thought it was nice of them to give these men and women the right to do basic human actions that the white men do every day. However, none of these bills passed were privileges, they were just basic human rights. They were rights the black men should have anyway and they should not need a bill to have them. White supremacy is what leads to all aspects of racism, this is just one example.

Carmichael brings up another point about white supremacy and how much they look down on minorities, blacks in specific. He discussed how white people thought there were all of these problems with the black people and they tried to help, but it came across offensive. One specific example he brings up is missionaries coming in and teaching them. He says they were brought to civilize black people because the white people thought they were uncivilized. So while the white people may think they are helping the black people they are really just being offensive and rude. The missionaries also came to educate the black people which brings up the question, were they uneducated? Not only did the missionaries offend the black people by coming and trying to show them all the ways to better themselves, they did it to benefit themselves. When they came and educated and civilized the black people, they left with the opposite of what they came with, and the black people also had the opposite of what they started with. “The missionaries came with the Bible and we had the land. When they left, they had the land, and we still have the Bible” (Carmichael 316). This is saying the white people came to “fix” the black people, and then take away all they had, their land. They didn’t need the missionaries to come in and tell them about religion because everyone can educate themselves on religion based on what they believe. Basically, they came and stripped the black people of all that they had and played it off that they were helping them become educated and civilized. This is another example of how white supremacy negatively affects the black people and why Carmichael gave this speech.

In conclusion, a close reading of “Black Power” by Stokely Carmichael shows that white supremacy and racism was an issue and needed to be resolved. His thoughts were that to fix it they need to talk to a younger generation of white males in order to convince them to accept black males. He also believes they needed to integrate black men into powerful positions in order to give black men rights. He spoke about the problems with the world such that every law was passed for the white man. Another issue was that laws were being passed in the first place when the rights they were given were just basic human rights. Lastly, he discussed the fact that we need to change white supremacy so that this is not the norm for future generations. So that they do not think it’s okay to have all white men in power controlling all of the other colors and genders in the world.