Literary Analysis Essay on Black Power in the Bluff City

Main Thesis/Argument of the Book

The main theme of the book illustrates the long struggle that the black people went through before they gained freedom and how complicated the situation was for the people that were involved in the struggle for the freedom (Kinchen, n.d.). The book also shows the study of how black students from Memphis participated in the activism that leads to the freedom and provides an analysis that indicates how the local youth became part of a freedom movement in the 1960s towards the late 1906s. The book also demonstrates the growth of a "black power generation" that was held back by the limited number of civil right changes that were being made.

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Author’s Purpose in Writing the Book

The author's main purpose in writing "Black Power in the Bluff City" was to help the readers see from the point of view in which the black student body form 1960s up until the 1960s had on the difficulties that the black community had to face as a result of their racial affiliation (Kinchen, n.d.). The writer informs us about these difficulties by highlighting the experiences that the African American students experienced during the time when the black community where fighting to be liberated through student organizations such as the black student movement in the united states.

Scope and General Content of the Book

The book described Political oppression that began due to African American enslavement, the slaves who were later to also became American citizens after independence. Also, it is during this time when the British forced all their colonies to live like them. That is, the British commanded their colonies to worship the way they did and to act just like them generally. On a deeper perspective, the British were out here to force everyone in their colonies to drop their cultures and accept that of their colonizer. America was not exempted from this menace. The colonial period was marked by countless struggles, religious persecutions which sometimes led even to imprisonment (Ture & Hamilton, 1992). It is obvious that the British settlers could not have located America as a country on a void basis. Right then, America had not developed in times of industries, farming education, military organization among others. The grand entry of the colonizers could have been said to have been expected since the country did not have an organized government that could repeal them. The British therefore found an easy way to get into American and they instantly began to bring slaves into the country. By 1690, when the British had completely settled, the Population of America was hardly 250,000. In less than one century of the British settlement, the country succumbed to an influx of slave importation and which made the population rise to more than 2 million. These were utilized in the farms, in industries among other economic sectors that the British found worthwhile. Industries, therefore, groomed the country, and agriculture was flourishing (Ture & Hamilton, 1992). The country was robbed of their raw materials which were processed in America and exported to Britain. The colonial period saw America grow from a mere country that was composed of Indians to a cosmopolitan that was composed of different races and ethnic groups. Cities such as New York had a varying population inclusive of different groups such as Portuguese. All these problems later translated into the problems that were faced in the civil right era where Memphis was well known for having the most determined and dedicated branches of the NAACP. The book goes ahead to describe how black power supporters who advocated for political independence organized member of the organization who was I Memphis to rally for their rights using methods theta no considered radical.

Most Significant Themes and Ideas That Consistently Emerge Throughout the Book

The first theme that consistently emerges throughout the book is the theme of the African American struggle for equality that occurred in the 1960 and the organizations that were in charge of the revolutions. Among the people who died in this revolution is Martin Luther King who was assassinated during the said period. It is questionable whether the death of Martin Lither kings death was a direct result of the activities rebellious activities that were being carried out by the African American youth.

Primary Evidence Used by the Author

The author used a number of primary sources; the first primary source of information that was used as direct interviews. In order for an interview to be considered as a primary source of information, the person being interviewed has to be someone who personally witnessed the events in question. The author of the book got information about the activist activities directly from activists you were involved in the fight against the political oppression that the black people were going through. Other primary sources that the author had access to include FBI case files that contained information about activities that happened between 1960 and 1970, the files also had information about people who actively participated in the fight for freedom against oppression. Lastly, the author also got information from newspapers that were printed out during the time that the struggle for freedom occurred, these newspapers contain first-hand information about the current event that was happening during that moment in time.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Book

The strengths of the book include the ability of the author to acquire authentic information from people and print media that were available during the time when the events where happening. This information was gotten from people who were actively involved in the struggle for freedom. This is a strength as it gives the information in the book credibility. Another strength the book has is how the author uses events that occurred in one state to elaborate a nationwide revolution. By using Memphis as a case study town, the author was able to get all the information he needed about the stated struggle against oppression. If the author decided to use the whole country it would have been very hard for him to acquire all the required information about the revolution.

Conclusion

Before the African Americans got to the stage where they needed to struggle against their fellow countrymen for equality, the possibility of an equal nation had been shown years back when both races united to fight a common enemy. The Americans irrespective of their status both slaves and natives agreed that there was a need to unite and fight their common enemy who had forced them to live in an oppressed way. The British hardly realized the growing urge for independence among these people until they engaged in a war with the Germans in 1750. Despite the fact that they won, it is evident that they had a weakened military as well as economic status. It lacked the funds to contain most of its colonies.

References

Ikenberry, G. (2011). The Future of the Liberal World Order.

Kinchen, S. Black power in the Bluff City.

Markham, J. (2002). A financial history of the United States. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe.

Ture, K., & Hamilton, C. (1992). Black power. New York: Vintage Books.