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just with the unreconstructed South, but with the national unreconstructed mentality that believed then as it believes now, that the American social agenda must not include those at the bottom of the ladder.
The promises made then that Black people would be included in the social and economic life of the nation were repudiated. Instead of fulfilling the dream, then as now:
The liberal crudaders for social justice and democracy became weary as Black people and our problems could no longer be considered a purely Southern problem.phenomenon;
The aspirations for and movement of Blacks began to be curtailed by organized violence and barbarity and by a series of legal maneuvers designed to make Black men less than political and economic equals;
The hopes and belief of Black people that racial equality and social justice could be achieved through litigation, legislation, negotiation, occasional direct action and strong alliances with white liberal groups were supplanted by disillusionment, bitterness, and open anger;
The guilt and indignation of northern supporters of the Southern drive for equality turned into an attitude of first cautious - and now open - racism when the northern Black man began to take seriously the claims of progress and began to look for visible signs in northern cities.*
* Paraphrased, in part, from a speech by Dr. Kenneth Clark to the SRC, Atlanta, Ga.
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We are through with the two great major national conventions that choose the four men, two of whom Black people - and all other Americans - will suffer or prosper under, over the next four years.
In a few weeks we will hopefully all go to the polls to choose between these men, and to choose what the future for us will be.
Four years ago on October 9, 1968, a candidate running for the American presidency said: Those who___ JB:jj_______________________ _________________________________
His name was Richard Nixon, and his four years are up.