Introduction
Written about the struggles the African Americans have undergone for decades, Living for the City recounts the origin of the socio-political movements that started in the 1960s. The book whose title borrows from the song by Steve Wonder expounds on the lyrics that form part of the reminiscences of the background in which it is based. “Living for the City”, the song came into the limelight in 1973; the onset of Black Power is an allegory of the struggles of the migrants in major cities in the United States (Murch 3).
It starts with the imagery of a young man born in Mississippi and could not take anymore the hardships and ordeals his parents were undergoing and therefore, he looks for opportunities in a foreign land. However, the new frontier is full of obstacles such as segregated jobs, police threats, and prison which results in sorrow instead of the anticipated happiness, leading to a broken man without hope (Murch 3). This paper explores the history of the black community movement, its success, and the needs it fulfilled.
History of Oakland’s Black Community
The origin of Oakland’s powerful movements goes back to the period before the Second World War. Furthermore, it has been highlighted by different scholars that the historical interplay of southern migration confirms the presence of black radicalism in northern California during midcentury (Murch 4). In addition, before this era, Bay Area and Oakland regions comprised minimal African-American populations.
However, after the war, the cities were transformed by far-reaching and powerful education, labor, incarceration, policing, and electoral politics (Murch 4). Also, the influx of new people from other places to the south led to profound demographic changes which resulted in the alteration of the population of the local minority groups especially the blacks. With the inherent and continuous changes, the new arrivals in California optimized the prevalent political culture in Bay Area by challenging old generation political leadership.
Besides, in the 1940s, there was a resurgence of labor movements that led to the access of more jobs and the subsequent periods saw young people using unconventional means in challenging police brutality. Coupled with militant ideology, the new migrants laid the foundation in which social movements with radical changes were founded in the 19th and 20th centuries (Murch 4). Furthermore, the youngsters born and raised in the southern California cities from poor families initiated the movement. With their coming of age during the assassination and lynching of Emmett Till and Malcolm X respectively; the young people formed the basis for Black Power in Oakland.
Black Power Movement
The development and growth of American colleges led to the institutionalization of groups resulting in the decline of activism. However, in 10 years, the enrollment of African-Americans tripled in Merritt, thus producing one of the major student movements in the US. Further, it has been viewed as a masculine, racial militant, and violent procession in the 1970s that replaced the peaceful Civil Rights (Murch 100). Similarly, following the establishment of the Black Studies course in 1964 which was offered part-time, it led to mass enrollment and as such, the students demanded it to be offered during daytime and in full credit. This formed the backbone from which radical politics emerged as the movement gathered momentum and increased its demands beginning with a full program on black studies, a department, and electing their president (Murch 112). Therefore, they formed the Students Advisory Council that led to the hiring of an advisor-Sidney Walton who initiated a faculty for blacks at Merritt.
Conversely, the student union demanded the recruitment of teaching staff who were relevant and right for the aforementioned studies to contribute to their entry into other California Universities. Due to inadequate qualifications, the demand for teachers was not fully implemented, therefore they were forced to hire on partial credentials. However, the Merritt college senate rescinded the proposal as well as the Education Board of the state in 1968 and this led to an uprising (Murch 115). Furthermore, while there was a go-slow from students over hiring in the faculty, it deteriorated to physical confrontation with the administration.
Its Success in Oakland
The movement had become successful among the communities in Oakland since it had strong and visionary leaders who ensured that the people’s needs were met especially the students in the local institution. For instance, in a letter written to the officials by Redford who was the President, he indicated that the student’s advisor was intimidating and inciteful. He claimed that Walton threatened the Merritt faculty staff not to prevent the students from burning down the college if their demands were not met (Murch 116).
As a result, the requirements from the learners were implemented with the hiring of black instructors, the right to use their studies to transfer, and electing their leader. Furthermore, the Lowndes County Freedom and Deacons of Defense groups made the struggle to be successful among the communities since it helped in countering white supremacist militants such as the Ku Klux (Murch 120). Also, the aforementioned organization’s strategies had roots with local people and connected with the views of Bobby Seale and Huey Newton among other Activists.
Similarly, from Afro-American Association to Muslims and Malcolm X period to all groups in Bay Area; it became common knowledge that lack of Black history in Merritt college curriculum was detrimental. As a result, a renowned journal; The Wall Street highlighted the impact of a two-year, and little-known college in a city’s sprawling slums of blacks as the epitome of rebellion and militantism (Murch 116). In addition, the centrality of the college in Oakland made it commonplace for the population that passed through it and residents who hung in the cafeteria which formed a debate center (Murch 111). This made the college popular among the local people who in turn encouraged the new immigrants to register, resulting in many members.
Consequently, the movement served the needs of the community in different ways. For example, after the college rebellion, law enforcement brutality and inadequate jobs led to the street’s demonstration by black activists (Murch 119).
The uprising in Watts expounded on the numerous problems facing California’s migrant society and pointed to the police violence and the prevalent challenges facing the West Coast region. This led to the recognition of their plight by the government under president Johnson. He had to decide between military spending in the Vietnam war or giving relief to the vulnerable populations in Oakland (Murch 121). Therefore, the region became the birthplace for an expansive socio-political movement that initiated permanent transformations across the US.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the black community social movements started in the 1960s have come a long way. The author traces its origin in Oakland and highlights some of the challenges the population was facing. Depicting on the plight of migrants searching for industrial jobs in California, it portrays the despair of these people when they realize there are no opportunities in the new regions. In addition, the rebellion in Merritt college led to the enactment of a curriculum to suit the black students’ demand. Also, the spread of protests to the streets resulted in the recognition of the problems faced by the poor people in the Bay Area, thus leading to tremendous changes across the United States.
Works Cited
Murch, Donna J. Living for the City: Migration, Education, and the Rise of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. U of North Carolina P, 2010.