Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael present the Blueprint for "Togetherness"

Yes I know the title of the post is ironic and a bit unbelievable at first glance.  But I want to use this platform to discuss two events in history that took place over the course of last week and show how they can be extremely beneficial to our society today. The formation of the Afro American Organization for Unity by Malcolm X and the birth of civil rights and political activist Stokely Carmichael (who later became known as Kwame Ture). Both of these men had significantly different paths in their lives but they both arrived at relatively the same place. To those of us who are familiar with their story bear with me out of respect to those who don't.

Stokely Carmichael was born in Trinidad and migrated to the United States and attended Howard University where he became involved in the Civil rights movement. He participated in 'sit ins' and 'freedom rides' in the southern US and was a member and later the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), working with Martin Luther King Jr. and other Southern leaders to stage protests and exact change.

Stokely Carmichael soon grew disenchanted with the non violent approach of Dr King and made the following statement in June 1966, "We been saying 'freedom' for six years." What we are going to start saying now is 'Black Power."

In 1967 Carmichael visited with revolutionary leaders in Cuba, North Vietnam, China and Guinea. His return to the United States, saw him leave the  SNCC and become prime minister of the more radical Black Panthers.

For the next two years Carmichael went around the US making speeches and writing essays on black nationalism, black separatism and pan-Africanism. However in 1969 Carmichael quit the Black Panthers and left the United States to take up permanent residence in Conakry, Guinea, where he dedicated the rest of his life to the cause of pan-African unity promoting the idea that blacks must work with blacks for their cultural, economic and political liberation.

Malcolm X spent time in jail for larceny where he converted to Islam and upon his release he became an important spokesman for Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam.

In 1964 after leaving the Nation of Islam Malcolm X travelled to North Africa and the Middle East. It was this experience that allowed him to place the American Civil Rights Movement within the context of a global anti-colonial struggle, embracing socialism and pan-Africanism.  His experiences in Africa led him to state on his return to the US that "The true brotherhood I had seen had influenced me to recognize that anger can blind human vision. America is the first country... that can actually have a bloodless revolution."

Malcolm X along with other black nationalists formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) in 1964 which was designed to encompass all peoples of African origin in the Western hemisphere, as well those on the African continent. The OAAU hoped to foster pan-African consciousness by using education as the primary means of repairing the damages of slavery, economic discrimination, and physical violence directed towards African Americans. Malcolm X announced the founding of the organization on June 28, 1964 at the Harlem's Audubon Ballroom.

These two outstanding men reached the same conclusion albeit via different paths. The way to combat the racism and ill will directed at the persons of African decent was to actually bond together and not just with those in your particular country. All people of African decent had to come together whether they be from the US, the W.I., Africa or Europe. By coming together they would essentially make themselves stronger economically, which would eventually allow them to have a stronger political voice.

The formula has not changed today and it is not a formula that will only resonate in the communities which contain persons of African decent. Change is only able to come about via strength in numbers and in order to have strength in numbers the principle of togetherness is key. It is high time that we as human beings put aside our differences within our families, communities, countries and all other sub groups and come together to make the world a better place. It's not going to be easy, the paths will be different and difficult but if our goals are the same we will get there eventually, whatever the means.