Stokely Carmichael: Brave Role Model
And Founding Leader of the Lowndes County Freedom Organization.
By
Jimmy Dickman
December, 10, 2015
Page 2
Thesis
The thesis of this paper will cover three main points in the paper. The main points will
cover how; LCFO mission of having African Americans gain political power was connected to
improving the lives of African American resident living in Lowndes County, importance of
Stokely Carmichael’s leadership tactics and role in the LCFO in order to inspire Lowndes
County residents to follow his leadership, the importance of the connection between SNCC and
the LCFO in their partnership in working for a common goal, and what is still undiscovered
about the nature of the my thesis focus.
Introduction
The Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO) was created in 1965 under the
direction of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC created the LCFO
because they developed a new strategy where SNCC believed that they needed to create all black
third party political organizations. SNCC believed that if they were successful with organizing
all black third political parties that were able to work together with SNCC it would help African
Americans overcome racism in American society. “There was widespread agreement that it was
time for SNCC to begin building independent, black political organizations. We were convinced
that such organizations working together could end racial oppression once and for all.”1 This
qoute comes from Cleveland Sellers who was one of SNCC’s founding leaders, and civil rights
1
Cleveland Sellers, The River Of No Return An Autobiography of a Black Militant and the life and death of SNCC
(Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1990), 155.
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activists. This qoute is important because it is explaining that Cleveland Sellers is arguing that
SNCC wanted to create and work along with all black third political parties in order to overcome
racism in America.
The Lowndes County Freedom Organization (LCFO) was founded and started to do their
work in Lowndes County in the year 1965. SNCC chose to have SNCC activist Stokely
Carmichael lead the LCFO. Lowndes County is located in southern Alabama in between the
colonies of Dallas County (which is West of Lowndes County) and Montgomery County (which
is East of Lowndes County). People often times refer the geographical location of Lowndes
County by saying that Lowndes County is located in the black belt region of Alabama.
“Like Lowndes County, Black Belt counties are decidedly rural; Montgomery and Dallas
counties are the only ones with sizeable urban centers. These rural counties have extremely large
black populations (many of which exceed 60 percent), they are remarkably poor (consistently
ranking dead last in per capita income in the state and near the bottom per capita in the nation),
and, until recently, their economic revolve around low-wage cotton production.”2
The quote above explains that the Lowndes County community along with other
neighboring communities in the black belt region is communities who are rural, small in
population, poor, and the majority of the people living the black belt region are African
Americans. It is important for the reader to understand what the community, struggles, and daily
livelihoods that the Lowndes County African American residents were dealing with. The LCFO
mission of the group and main priority was that they wanted Lowndes County residents to gain
political power. The LCFO’s mission is connected with improving the daily livelihoods of the
2
Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York: New York
University Press, 2009), 300. Kindle.
Page 4
Lowndes County residents because gaining political power is connected with getting what you
want because in America politics runs almost everything.
Historiography
This section of the paper will discuss the historiography among historians including
Charles Payne and Steven F. Lawson in a book named Debating the Civil Rights Movement.
This section of historiography will argue four main points. This section will explain how;
Charles Payne and Steven F. Lawson’s arguments view the civil rights movement, how Charles
Payne and Steven F. Lawson give credit to each other’s arguments, but argue why their points
are better, how Charles Payne and Steven Lawson’s arguments are connected with my thesis, and
which side (Charles Payne or Steven F. Lawson) my thesis relies on the most.
Charles Payne’s argument explains that strong activists and groups/organizations in the
civil rights movement were the driving force that helped African Americans overcome racism
and inequality in America. “For some in the movement, finding and grooming leadership,
transforming individuals, was as important as winning legislative victories, perhaps more so in
the long run.”3 Charles Payne gives credit to Steven F. Lawson because Charles Payne is arguing
that legislative victories are important, but Charles Payne’s believes that in the long run
organizations and activists are more effective in helping African Americans gain freedom in
America. Charles Payne’s argument is connected with my thesis because my thesis focuses on
the use of organizations and activists in the civil rights movement. My thesis focuses on the
3
Charles Payne, “Debating the Civil Rights Movement: The View from the Trenches,” in Debating the Civil Rights
Movement, 1945-1968 (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1998), 119.
Page 5
connection between the LCFO and SNCC who were two organizations that worked together in
order to improve African American citizenship in American society. The other part of my thesis
focuses on why Stokely Carmichael’s leadership and overall role in the LCFO was important in
helping African Americans fight effectively to earn freedom in American society,
Steven F. Lawson’s argument is that he believes that voter registration and federal
assistance were the two most effective tools that helped African Americans gain freedom in
America. “Though rallies and protests continued in the years to come, the extension of the right
to vote gave African Americans fresh incentive to address their grievances clearly at the ballot
box. More and more, southern blacks turned their efforts to organizing campaigns to elect
African American candidates to public office.”4 Steven F. Lawson gives credit to Charles
Payne’s argument because Steven F. Lawson believes that protest and rallies through
organizations and activists were helpful to African Americans fight for civil rights, but Steven F.
Lawson argues that voter registration and federal assistance were more effective in helping
African Americans fight for equality in America. “To avoid further delay, it suspended the use of
literacy tests and required the states to clear any further voting changes with the Justice
Department before implementing them.”5 Steven F. Lawson’s argument is connected with my
thesis because the goal of the LCFO was for African Americans to gain political power and gain
influence in politics. The voting rights act of 1965 helped voter registration for African
Americans to grow. The voting rights act of 1965 has an important connection my thesis because
the LCFO’s mission is to have African Americans gain political power and the voting rights act
Steven Lawson, “Debating the Civil RightsMovement: The View from the Nation,” in Debating the Civil Rights
Movement, 1945-1968 (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1998), 33.
5
Steven Lawson, “Debating the Civil RightsMovement: The View from the Nation,” in Debating the Civil Rights
Movement, 1945-1968 (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1998), 33.
4
Page 6
of 1965 helped African Americans gain political power because the federal law helped voter
registration for African Americans grow.
The qoute above is referring to the passing of the 1965 voting rights act under the Lyndon
B. Johnson administration. The voting rights act of 1965 helped African Americans register to
vote under protection of law. The 1965 voting rights act made it illegal for states requiring
potential voters to pass a literacy test in order to vote. The failure of African Americans to pass
the literacy test had a big impact and connection for why there was a low number of African
Americans voting in the USA. The 1965 voting rights act got rid of the literacy test which made
it much easier for African Americans to be able to register to vote. The 1965 voting rights act
also required states to inform the federal government if there were any changes in the voting
registration process. As a whole the 1965 voting rights act was a federal law that helped African
Americans register to vote without facing discrimination in the voting process.
My thesis would fit into the Charles Payne argument because my thesis revolves around
the impact of groups and individual activists in the civil rights movement. My thesis covers the
work of the LCFO in Lowndes County, Stokely Carmichael’s leadership role in the LCFO, and
the connection between SNCC and the LCFO working together for the same cause which was
helping African Americans gain freedom in America.
Lowndes County Freedom Organization’s Mission to Promote Political Power
The Lowndes County Freedom Organization supports African Americans having political
power in order for them to make their own decisions in society. “The right of people to make
their own decisions about their own lives is the most fundamental right that a member of
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democratic society could have. This is the perspective from which the concept of freedom
organizations evolved. The Lowndes County freedom Organization, allas the Black Panther
Party, attempts to be such a group.”6 The LCFO supports freedom for African Americans
because they support that every individual in a democratic society should have the right to make
their own decisions and not have others make decisions for them. To explain this further African
Americans that live in American democratic society should have the right to vote in order for
them to give an opinion on what they feel is best for society.
The LCFO did a lot of work with encouraging Lowndes County residents to register to
vote because the LCFO believed that if African Americans are able to gain the right to vote it
would help African Americans overcome racism. The LCFO thought that that gaining political
power would help improve African Americans more respect and power in society in a lot of
ways such as education, and other improvements in social injustices.
“Negros were told that they should risk their life and limb so that when they get the right
to vote they would be able to throw off the shackles that previously held them bound. Many poor
blacks in the rural and urban areas felt that if they would register to vote and exercise their right
they could do something about poor education unpaved roads the sheriff brutality the economic
6 1“
Position
Paper,” 6-12 November 1964, 2, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers.
1959-1972 (Sanford, N.C.: Microfilming Corporation of America, 1982), microfilm, A:6:25, 0785. [Hereafter
cited Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, Subgroup: series: file, frame.] “Riding in the
car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1174.
Page 8
and political intimidation the everyday social injustices and the whites even stop calling them
“Boy”7
Real power in a democratic society comes from the people that vote for politicians. This
qoute is very important because African Americans are being asked to risk their lives in order to
hope to gain political power. If you are willing to risk their life in order to obtain anything it
definitely means that what you are risking your life for is very important to you. Not all, but a lot
of African American Lowndes County residents were convinced by the LCFO that having the
right to vote would help them gain freedom in order to make their own decisions and not have
others make decisions for them.
“They believe that a new political movement must be built from the grass-roots,
courthouse by courthouse, until there is sufficient political control at the local level to begin to
affect the course of state politics.”8 The LCFO did a lot of work with encouraging Lowndes
County residents to vote for LCFO party candidates who were running for public office in
Lowndes County. The LCFO had voter registrations in court houses in order to recruit Lowndes
County residents to register to vote. The LCFO used court houses as a community organizing
strategy to try to build up their party strength and to also build up African American political
power. The LCFO used grass roots and community organizing as a tactic in order to try to
persuade the majority of the people living in Lowndes County who were African Americans to
7
Position Paper,” 6-12 November 1964, 2, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers.
1959-1972 (Sanford, N.C.: Microfilming Corporation of America, 1982), microfilm, A:6:25, 0785. [Hereafter
cited Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, Subgroup: series: file, frame.]“Riding in the
car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1174.
8
“Riding in the car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1173.
Page 9
vote for LCFO candidates. This is a good tactic to use because if the majority of the people
living in Lowndes County were African American the LCFO party has a good chance of winning
the popular vote.
The LCFO candidates that were running for office were running for county positions
which were; tax positions, sheriff, school board members and state legislators.
“This year the counties of Alabama will elect sheriffs, tax collectors, tax assessors,
coronors, school board members, and members of the state legislator. The theory that the people
must be represented in all these offices by individuals who are generously interested in meeting
the needs and desires of poor people is the guiding principle of the Lowndes County Freedom
Organization.”9
The LCFO believed that in order to gain power they should first be able to control the
Lowndes County community. The LCFO would help African Americans gain influence in
Lowndes County by having African Americans run for local public offices and education board
members who would be elected by African Americans. There is a strong connection here
because the candidates running for office where African Americans and they would get most of
their votes from African Americans. The LCFO supported these African Americans running for
public office and school board positions because the LCFO believed that these people were
dedicated to improving the needs of the poor in Lowndes County. The LCFO believed that in
order to gain political power you have to start out by gaining influence in state politics and in the
local Lowndes County public offices such as tax collectors, sheriffs, and school board members.
9
“State Project Files” n.d. 4-14, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1179.
Page 10
The LCFO believed that if they were successful in gaining political power in Lowndes County it
would help improve the needs of the poor people living in Lowndes County.
The point of this paragraph is to explain that there is a connection between a local
Lowndes county resident’s question and the LCFO overall mission. “How can my vote be used
to get the things I risked life and limb to gain?”10 The local Lowndes county resident is asking is
it worth risking his life in order to vote and if he does vote how could his vote benefit him? The
LCFO believes and encourages African Americans in Lowndes County to vote for the LCFO’s
candidates running for local office (who are all African Americans) because the LCFO believes
that the best candidates that will help African Americans overcome racist oppression occurring
in Lowndes County is to vote for LCFO party’s candidates. The LCFO promoted their party by
connecting their party to the needs of African Americans through local organizing. The LCFO
would answer this local Lowndes county residents question by encouraging all Lowndes county
residents (mostly African Americans) to vote for LCFO candidates. Voting for the LCFO would
be the best voting option for the Lowndes county resident because the LCFO candidates are all
African Americans and they are the most understanding, and supportive for improving African
American opportunities such as education and improving the overall Lowndes County
community. The point is that the LCFO would encourage this local resident to risk his life in
order to have the opportunity to vote for LCFO candidates and the LCFO candidates would do a
lot of good work in the Lowndes County community.
The main mission and priority of the LCFO was to have the people of Lowndes County
register to vote for LCFO candidates in order to gain political power, but political power is
10
“Riding in the car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student Nonviolent
Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1173.
Page 11
connected to a lot of different goals such as improving the needs of the poor. The LCFO
supported improving the education and economy for African Americans in Lowndes County.
“Again, related to the income and unemployment conditions, is education. More than half the
Negros in Lowndes County, 25 years of age and over, have less than a fifth grade education.”11
The struggles with the poverty level along with low education were both very common part of
daily life in Lowndes County. The LCFO is motivated to improve this by improving the
education of African Americans by having a voter education program that is designed to help
teach African Americans how the voting system works and how to know who you want to vote
for.
The LCFO wanted to improve the education of Lowndes County residents by hosting a
voter education program (VEP) that would teach African Americans how the voting system
works and educated African Americans how to know who you want to vote for. “Lowndes
County Alabama Voter Education Program A Proposal For Audio Visual Materials”12 “The
Lowndes County Freedom Organization is attempting to develop in Lowndes a political
organization which hopes to bring a measure of political power to those who have been
systematically disenfranchised in Alabama.”13 To explain this qoute this qoute is about the VEP
which was a part of the LCFO because the VEP aimed at explaining that the LCFO was a
political party whose goals were to give African Americans political power in order to imporve
the lives of the unprivileged people in society.
11
“State Project Files” n.d. 4-14, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1180.
12
“State Project Files” n.d. 4-14, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1184.
13
“State Project Files” n.d. 4-10, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1184.
Page 12
“The Negros of Lowndes County want a political grouping that is controlled by them.
They want a political grouping that is responsive to the needs of the poor, not necessarily the
black people, but those who are illiterate, those who have poor education, those of low income
that is to say, those who are unqualified in this society. To do this they had to form a group, on
the county level, that represented their own interests.”14 This qoute is connected with two
different main points.
The first point is related to politics which is that the African Americans in Lowndes
County want to create a political organization that they will support in the voting ballot. The
African Americans of Lowndes County want to support a political party where they feel that they
can control and have influence in the political party. The African Americans want to support a
political party that they believe will support African American interests and would also support
their struggles. The other part of this qoute is related to that the people of Lowndes County want
to improve the needs of the poor such as the educational system and lack of political power. The
LCFO supports improving African political power in order to give more opportunites to African
Americans such as freedom, and education of the poor.
The LCFO knowing that the majority of the people living in Lowndes County were
African Americans is important because the LCFO thought that they had a god chance of
winning elections if they were able to convince African Americans to vote for their party..
“Lowndes County has a population, according to the 1960 Census, of 15,417 people. Of these
12,425 are Negro, or 81% of the total county population. Previous to March 1965 no Negros in
their county were able to register to vote.”15 It is important to understand that prior to March
14
15
State Project Files, “Lowndes County” (1966) Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Paper. A: 36:15, 1175.
“State Project Files” n.d. 4-10, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1174.
Page 13
1965 there was not one African American registered to vote in Lowndes County. The LCFO
needed to do a lot of work for voter registration because there weren’t any African Americans
that were able to vote.
Stokely Carmichael’s Role In Lowndes County Freedom Organization
In the beginnings of the creation of the LCFO Stokely Carmichael learned how to use
Alabama law in order to help protect the LCFO, gain power in members through gatherings, and
gain recognition. Jack Minnis did a lot of headquarter work for SNCC and was very helpful in
the development of the beginning of the LCFO. Jack Minnis helped Stokely Carmichael
understand the importance of how to use Alabama law in order to create and protect the LCFO.
“Finally, if one or more of the organizations candidates received at least 20 percent of the total
vote in the general election, then the state would recognize the organization as a political
party.”16 This quote is a section of Alabama law that helps to protect a political party. If the
LCFO meets the standards of Alabama law the LCFO would allowed to have convention rallies
and gatherings which would all help give the LCFO more power because having people come
together influences motivation which would help the party grow in power. Peniel E. Joseph
along with Hasan Kwame Jeffries give credit to Jack Minnis for his knowledge of using
Alabama law to help protect the LCFO. “Minnis suggested that state law offered room for
independent politics. Beyone minute bureaucratic details lay the novel discovery that blacks in
16
Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York: New
York University Press, 2009), 3090. Kindle.
Page 14
Lowndes could legally form their own political party.”17 This qoute is referring to the Alabama
state law that protects political parties and allows blacks to from their own party under Alabama
law.
Stokely Carmichael leadership role in the LCFO was successful leadership that helped
the LCFO do a lot good work and have progress in Lowndes County. Stokely Carmichael’s role
and work in the LCFO helped African Americans gain political power which was very important
because the LCFO was aimed at helping African Americans. African Americans in Lowndes
County were supported by the LCFO a black organization the point being without Stokely
Carmichael and the LCFO African Americans in Lowndes County wouldn not of benefited from
all of the good work that the LCFO did in Lowndes County. Vic Levine’s letter to Stokely
Carmichael on January 23, 1966 supports that Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO’s activism in
Lowndes County helped the people of Lowndes County gain political power and that the African
American people of Lowndes County benefited from the LCFO work in Lowndes County.
The following quote is Vic Levine’s letter directed to Stokely Carmichael on January 23,
1965. Vic Levine throughout his letter shows that he supports Stokely Carmichael and the
overall organizational work that the LCFO is doing in Lowndes County.
“I want to congratulate the people of Lowndes County on the beginning of the Black
Panther Party. I wish them success in their struggle for representation of their interests and needs
in the local and state governments of Alabama. Needless to say, many of us in Berkeley have
watched with dismay and anger the treatment of southern freedom parties in the Democratic
17
Joseph Peniel E., Stokely A Life (New York: BasicCivitas Books, 2014), 92.
Page 15
Party.”18 This quote supports a good number of different connections between Stokely
Carmichael’s views of the federal government and the LCFO movement in Lowndes County.
Vic Levine along with other people of Berkeley do not appreciate the treatment of Democratic
Party towards freedom organizations and Vic Levine believes that the people of Lowndes
County struggle to have political power in their community. Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO
both are frustrated with the lack of African American political power and they also don’t
appreciate the way that the Democratic Party treats freedom organizations in the South.
From the same letter this quote helps explain in more detail why Vic Levine supports
Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO’s activism in Lowndes County. “I know that some real good
work was being done in Lowndes County, especially since the national press showed little
interest in your project after the summer.”19 Vic Levine supports the LCFO because the LCFO is
doing a lot of work with little help from others. The lack of the Democratic Parties support for
freedom organizations in the South along with the national press not being interested in reporting
the LCFO’s goals to the media are both good examples for why Vic Levine respects and
supports Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO. In other words Vic Levine respects the LCFO
because the LCFO is persistent at improving the opportunities of African Americans living in
Lowndes County even if the LCFO has to do a lot work on their own due to the lack of low
interests or guidance from others.
Vic Levine is definitely interested in Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO organization
because Vic Levine is asking Stokely Carmichael to write an article about his overall
18
“Vic Levine letter to Stokely Carmichael” January 23, 1966. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers,
A:36:15, 1165.
19
“Vic Levine letter to Stokely Carmichael” January 23, 1966. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers,
A:36:15, 1165.
Page 16
organization of the LCFO and the work that the LCFO is doing in Lowndes County. “The main
reason I am writing to you is to ask you to write an article on your work in Lowndes County and
on the Black Panther Party for an Independent Socialist Club (ISC) magazine.”20 “The magazine
will be a single issue, for the present, with and anticipated circulation of 2 to 3,00 copies.”21 Both
of these quotes support that Vic Levine is interested in the LCFO because Vic Levine wants
Stokely Carmichael to share his thoughts about the work being done in Lowndes County and
what the LCFO overall purpose is. Vic Levine wanting to have Stokely Carmichael to write an
article in the ISC magazine and having 3000 copies is important. Not that many people know
about the LCFO because of the lack of attention from the press and Democratic Party, and this is
a big reason for Vic Levine wants Stokely Carmichael to write an article to him about the work
of the LCFO and situation in Lowndes County.
Stokely Carmichael’s Leadership Character Connection with Black Panther Slogan and
his views of the Democratic Government.
The LCFO adopted the Black Panther slogan which symbolized Stokely Carmichael’s
character and why the Black Panther slogan is connected with LCFO goals. “The second
criticism is that the freedom organization, because of the Black Panther as a symbol, and because
the majority of the grouping is Negro is said to be Black Nationalist. The only symbolic
importance the panther, its determination to be powerful and aggressive. The major emphasis is
to bring to the poor and excluded, political power on the county level, the color of their skin is
20
“Vic Levine letter to Stokely Carmichael” January 23, 1966. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers,
A:36:15, 1165.
21
“Vic Levine letter to Stokely Carmichael” January 23, 1966. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers,
A:36:15, 1165.
Page 17
incidental. To the extent that blackness is seen as a problem is one of the manifestations of a
segregated and racist society,”22
The points come out of this quote are that the Black Panther is a symbol that symbolizes
determination and power. The LCFO is determined to bring political power to the unprivileged
people living in Lowndes County. The criticism that people do not want black people to organize
together and to organize a political party is a sign of a racist society.
This Black Panther symbol meaning is important because it is related to the culture of
Lwodnes County and the overall big picture of the civil rights movement struggles. The black
panther is an animal that is non-violent until the point where it is back is pushed up against a
wall. When the Black Panther is threatened it fights back with strength and determination. The
people of Lowndes County have been victims of violence from racist whites for a long time and
the LCFO’s symbol of the Black Panther symbolizes that it is time for African Americans to
fight back with strength and determination in order to become free from white oppression. “The
black panther is an animal that when it is pressured it moves back until it is cornered. Explained
Hulett, then it comes out fighting for life or death. We feel we had been pushed back long
enough and that it was time for Negros to come out and take over.”23 This Black Panther relates
to the local people of Lowndes County because the LCFO’s party symbol of the Black Panther
helps inspire the people of Lowndes County to be motivated to fight back in order for them to
gain equality in America.
Stokely Carmichael’s attitude as a leader resembles the attitude of a black panther
because Stokely Carmichael is not afraid to be to fight for African American equality. Stokely
22
State Project Files, “Lowndes County” Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers. A: 36: 15, 1175.
Carson, Clayborne. In Struggle SNCC and the Black awakening of the 1960’s (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Press,
1995.), Page 166.
23
Page 18
Carmichael’s determination is shown in his ride from Atlanta to Tuskegee Alabama. “They
continued to talk shit, so we just continued to talk shit back to them. For instance, they were
saying, you wouldn’t be here and you could be arrested, you know. So I said, if your going to
arrest me, do it, if not don’t waste my time. I got work to do.”24 This quote supports that Stokely
Carmichael had a powerful charismatic personality where he wasn’t afraid to fight against
harassment from the police.
“After that, the word jest went around that the civil rights workers told the cops off.
Cussed them out. After that day, whenever we went canvassing, people would always say, are
you those civil rights fighters that cussed the cops out. And I would say, well you know, we had
a little bit of trouble and we set them straight.”25 Stokely Carmichael attitude is similar to a black
panther because when he feels cornered he will fight back powerfully just like he did in this
incident with the police trying to harass him. People looked up to Stokely Carmichael because
they didn’t appreciate getting harassed by the local sheriff and police in Lowndes County.
“A caption beneath the panther provocatively asked WILL THE PANTHER EAT THE
ROOSTER? A reference to the Alabama Democratic Party’s symbol and its controversial
accompanying slogan white supremacy for the right”26 This Black Panther symbol goes along
with Stokely Carmichael’s because Stokely Carmichael really does not like the Democratic
Party. Stokely Carmichael does not believe in supporting the Democratic Party because he
24
“Riding in the car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1167.
25
“Riding in the car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1167.
26
Joseph, Peniel E. Stokely a Life. (New York: BasicCivitas Books. 2014) 93.
Page 19
considers them to be racist and Stokely Carmichael doesn’t believe supporting a racist party
would be helpful to African American culture. Stoekly Carmichael believes in competing with
the Democratic Party because he believes that African Americans would benefit a lot more if the
LCFO gained more power in politics.
This was a billboard advertising strategy that the LCFO used to encourage Lowndes
County residents to vote for LCFO candidates. “PULL THE LEVER FOR THE BALCK
PANTHER AND GO ON HOME”27 The Black Panther was used in the LCFO’s political
campaign as a strategy to recruit Lowndes County residents to vote for a strong political party
whose leader Stokely Carmichael was strong and determined to have the LCFO grow in strength
in order to improve the lives of African Americans.
Stokely Carmichael believed that the Republicans and Democrats were not going to help
African Americans gain political power. Stokely Carmichael strongly supported creating an- all
black third party that would run its own political candidates (who were black) would be an
effective strategy in gaining political power for African Americans. “We were absolutely
convinced that there was no viable future for blacks, poor blacks especially within the
Republican and Democratic parties.”28 The government of Lowndes County was dominated by
white politicians and this was a challenge for African American equality. It was a challenge of
political power for the LCFO to gain influence in politics because the majority of the people in
office were white.
27
Carmichael, Stokely. Black Power: the Politics of Liberation (New York: Vintage Books, 1992.), 98.
Sellers, Cleveland. The River Of No Return An Autobiography of a Black Militant and the life and death of SNCC
(Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1990.), 155.
28
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Stokely Carmichael as leader of the LCFO is against the Democratic and
Republican parties because he believes that they are racist and he is annoyed of the Democratic
Parties treatment of African Americans. Using a direct qoute from Stokely Carmichael he says
“We are sick and tired of the tricks that this racist government from the federal to local attempts
to play on black people in this country”29 Stokely Carmichael’s attitude towards the Democratic
Party is that he rejects them and does not appreciate the Democratic party because he believes
that they are racist. Stoekly Carmichael does not believe that African Americans should vote for
the Democratic Party because they won’t do as much legislative work for African Americans as
a LCFO politician would do.
Stokely Carmichael Successful Leader and Community Organizer.
Stokely Carmichael had leadership skills that reflected him being a charismatic leader
along with being a positive role model for people to follow. Stokely Carmichael attended and
spoke at a LCFO rally at Mount Moriah Baptist church where there were about 650 African
Americans there to support the LCFO’s cause. Stokely Carmichael gave a speech where he said
“We have done what they said they said we could not do. Colored people here come together
tonight! Tonight says that we can come together and we can rock this country from California to
New York City!”30 Stokely Carmichael’s speech used motivation in order to help African
Americans gain power. Stokely Carmichael wanted his ideas of African Americans gaining
political power to not only occur in Lowndes County, but he wanted his idea to be spread across
America. Stokely Carmichael never put a limit to how much power the wanted the LCFO to have
29
Jeffries Hasan Kwame. Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York: New
York University Press, 2009.), 2508. Kindle.
30
Cleveland Sellers, The River Of No Return An Autobiography of a Black Militant and the life and death of SNCC
(Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1990.), 153.
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Stokely Carmichael’s speech reflects that he wants African American power to expand and keep
gaining power.
The LCFO’s overall work under the leadership of Stokely Carmichael had made a lot of
progress in their work in Lowndes County. “Some people around the country were calling this
one of the most significant elections during this off year season. In March 1965 not one black
person was even registered to vote; over the next twenty months, close to 3,000 blacks people
had not only registered but also formed a political organization, hold a nominating convention
and slated seven of their members to run for county public office the present election.”31
Stokely Carmichael managed to encourage 3,000 African Americans to register to vote
when 20 months earlier no African American was registered to vote. Stokely Carmichael also
managed to create a political organization whose candidates were running for public office.
Creating a political organization and running campaigns for people to get elected to local offices
shows remarkable improvement because in March 1965 African Americans in Lowndes County
didn’t have any political power.
Stokely Carmichael was successful at helping African Americans become independent
fighters, recruiting local advocates, and groups in their communities. Stokely Carmichael did all
of this as a community organization tactic in Lowndes County in order to recruit and help the
LCFO gain more power and influence. Using Stokely Carmichael’s words “When they can
control their own communities- however large or small- then other groups will make overtures to
31
Sellers Cleveland, The River Of No Return An Autobiography of a Black Militant and the Life and Death of SNCC
(Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1990.), 155.
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them based on a wise calculation of self-interest. The blacks will have the mobilized ability to
grant or withhold from coalition.”32
Stokely Carmichael believes in community organizing where he influences and convinces
a good number of people to work together towards a common goal. Stokely Carmichael wants
the African people of Lowndes County to be able to have the freedom to make their own
decisions in society. Stokely Carmichael encourages Lowndes county residents to have control
of their own community in order for them to be independent.
Stokely Carmichael Leadership Views on the Support of Self Defense.
Stokely Carmichael supported that the people living in Lowndes County should have the
right to self- defense. Lowndes County was a brutal environment where murders, intimidation,
and beat downs were a normal part of life in Lowndes County. It was very common for Lowndes
County residents to own guns for their own protection. “He had his arms folded and just got shot
down. The man then reached into the pocket of his overalls and produced three shotgun shells.
We gonna protect our friends this time he said, fortunately, there was no violence that day.”33
Stokely Carmichael understands that Lowndes County was a very violent place to live because
African Americans were in fear of their lives from getting beat up or getting killed. Stokely
Carmichael supported self-defense because he believed that in sometimes freedom is earned
through knowing how to use self-defense.
Stokely Carmichael and the LCFO are known to be called an “armed party”. Stokely
Carmichael supports the use of weapons for self-defense because Stokely Carmichael believes
32
Jeffries Hasan Kwame. Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York: New
York University Press, 2009.), 3055. Kindle.
33
Jeffries Hasan Kwame, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York: New
York University Press, 2009.), 3019. Kindle.
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that freedom in some cases is earned through the use of self-defense.“Carmichael neglected to
mention that the Black Panther Party in Lowndes was an armed party a pragmatic decision made
in the face of racial terror. His organizing experience in the deep south had taught him that
democracy sometimes required guns.”34. This qoute is an interview in Cleveland Sellers book
where Stokely Carmichael says that he sometimes in society you have to earn your freedom
through the use of guns as protection.
Stokely Carmichael supports the use of self -defense because the LCFO is asking African
Americans to risk their lives in order to gain political power in order to promote the future and
present lives of African Americans in America. “SNCC had long understood that one of the
major obstacles to helping black people organize structures which could effectively fight
institutional racism was fear.”35 Stoekly Carmichael supports self-defense because in Lowndes
County the white people used tactics of intimidation towards African Americans. Through selfdefense this would help African Americans overcome the fear of intimidation from whites. This
is a reason for why Stokely Carmichael supports the use of self- defense in Lowndes County to
prevent the people of Lwondes County from being intimidated from the whites.
Why LCFO Had an Important Connection to SNCC
Even though the election of 1966 in Lowndes County didn’t elect any of the LCFO
candidates the overall connection of the connection of the LCFO to SNCC and all of the work
that the LCFO did in the civil rights movement should never be forgotten. “Lowndes County:
34
35
Peniel E. Joseph, Stokely a Life (New York: BasicCivitas Books. 2014), 93.
Carmichael Stokely, Black Power: the Politics of Liberation (New York: Vintage Books, 1992.), 100.
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Candidates Lose, but Black Panther Strong.”36 This quote is explaining that Lowndes County did
lose the election, but their pride and fight is should never be forgotten.
Stokely Carmichael argues that he believes that the LCFO got cheated in the election of
1966. “We organized the whole fucking county. It was organized. The people voted man. Whitey
cheated. He didn’t count their votes. White people came out winning. “37 Stokely Carmichael
believes that the LCFO didn’t win the election because they were cheated out of it because their
votes were not counted like they should have been.
Part of Clayborne Carson’s book argues that he believes that the decline of SNCC was
due to that they were not able to continue and fund projects and also that there was conflict
between individualism in the group and communalism ideologies. “Although police harassment
and covert repression exacerbated divisions among black militants, SNCC hastened its own
decline by losing its touch in the deep south.”38 This quote helps explain that SNCC failed as an
organization when it started to lose its connections with running projects such as freedom
organizations in the south. The LCFO was very important to SNCC even though the elections of
the LCFO were a failure because the LCFO helped SNCC keep connections in the south.
Conclusion
36
Peniel E. Joseph, Stokely a Life (New York: BasicCivitas Books. 2014), 163.
37
“Riding in the car from Atlanta to Tuskegee on February 19, 1966.” February 19 1966. Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Papers, A: 36:15, 1167.
38
Carson Clayborne, In Struggle SNCC and the Black awakening of the 1960’s (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Press,
1995.), 300.
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As a whole SNCC, LCFO, and Stokely Carmichael all worked with each other for a
common goal which was they wanted to improve the lives of African Americans through gaining
political power. This paper showed a lot of reasons for why gaining political power is connected
with improving a lot of parts of society such as education, gaining respect and freedom in
society. The overall point of this paper was to show the importance of the connections between
SNCC, LCFO, and Stokely Carmichael in the civil rights movement and how each one of them
are persistent in helping African American fight for their civil rights against the challenges of
white supremacy. In conclusion, many people have never heard of the LCFO and it is a shame
because people should learn about the LCFO because the LCFO was the birth place of the Black
Panther party whose party after the LCFO became nationally known for their support in the fight
for African American civil rights.
Undiscovered Research
The nature of the topic the LCFO consisted of a slither or very rare amount of
historiography and research. The black belt election that the LCFO constructed only lasted from
the years of 1965 to 1966, so this was a very small amount of time that SNCC, LCFO, and
Stokely Carmichael had time to work together. It was a challenge to find information and find
any connections related to the LCFO. One area that is left undiscovered is if the LCFO had
influence in other counties such as Dallas County and Montgomery County Alabama. This is an
area that I hope in the future historians will research and hopefully find clues.
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Bibliography
Secondary sourcesCarmichael Stokely, Black Power: the Politics of Liberation: New York: Vintage Books, 1992.
Carson, Clayborne, In Struggle SNCC and the Black awakening of the 1960’s: Cambridge Mass:
Harvard Press, 1995.
Primary sourcesJeffries Hasan Kwame, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black
Belt: New York: New York University Press, 2009. Kindle.
Joseph, Peniel E: Stokely a Life. New York: BasicCivitas Books, 2014.
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Sellers Cleveland, The River Of No Return An Autobiography of a Black Militant and the life
and death of SNCC: Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1990.
“Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee papers 1959-1972” Sanford, N.C. Microfilming
Corporation of America, 1982. Microfilm.