The Future of Black Nationalism in America

UNITED STATES - Malcolm X made a speech years ago commonly known as "We Have No Freedom" in which he talked about Black Nationalism.

"It was Nationalism that brought about the independence of the people in Asia. Every nation in Asia gained its Independence through the philosophy of Nationalism. Every nation on the African continent that got its independence brought it about through the philosophy of Nationalism and it will take Black Nationalism to bring about the freedom of about twenty-two million Afro Americans here in this country where we have suffered Colonialism for the past four hundred years." - Malcolm X

In the speech Malcolm X also talks about Washington and how the whites in America gained their freedom from the British Empire through the philosophy of Nationalism and "Liberty or Death!"

Central to what Malcolm X talked about in the speech was patriotism. Patriotism is like a loophole or a gateway to freedom and respect. Any man, woman or child can express themselves as a patriot and will be admired for it. Crowds will go "Awww", people will sing the National Anthem, citizens will wipe tears from their eyes and they will remember that moment where they listened to a patriot speak.

Its not about leadership or elections, although those certainly come into play. Its about appealing to every person's common love for their country. If a little black girl stands up on a podium and speaks about love for her country, about racism, sexism and her belief in a stronger, united America where sexism/racism have been almost eliminated it will bring tears to people's eyes. She can express her love for her country and in that moment she won't just be free, she'll be a shining symbol of Lady Liberty herself.

During the French Revolution Lady Liberty was a symbol for freedom against tyranny. When the French gave the United States the Statue of Liberty as a gift in 1886 they did more than cement their friendship with the USA, they galvanized the United States for future generations with a symbol of freedom and hope.

And its the future I wish to talk about.

Right now 12.85% of the United States is Afro-American. That is a pretty large voting bloc when you consider most elections the vote between the Democrats and Republicans are split 50/50, and therefore the Afro vote can be the deciding factor in many an election. Granted a larger percentage of Afro-Americans already vote Democrat, but there's also a sizable percentage that usually vote Republican too. Then there's the percentage, and this is seemingly the largest chunk, who can't make up their mind and don't decide until they're finally in the voting box.

An interesting factor is population growth rates in America. Latino-Americans is the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States today. The Hispanic population increased 29% from 2000 to 2007 and most of it is due to the birth rate, not immigration. Because many Hispanics practice Catholicism they're against abortion and thus explains why the Hispanic population in the USA is expected to triple by 2050.

That means ethnic diversity is going to be the status quo in the future of America. Afro-Americans will still be a minority. Their numbers will grow, but their % of the pie will shrink because of the huge Hispanic growth rates (which means we will likely see an Hispanic president some day in America).

So if ethnic diversity is going to become the status quo in America it means complete freedom and the virtual erasure of racism in the United States is merely decades away. It will be a bumpy ride along the way, but we will see a fresh crop of Afro-American patriots, leaders and the like minded.

We will see people like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Barack Obama and others.

Who does young Afro-Americans look up to today? Historically it has been more likely to have been an entertainer or sports star, ranging from actor/singer Will Smith, basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr., golf star Tiger Woods, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, boxer Muhammad Ali or comedian Dave Chapelle. Its a huge list of Afro-American entertainers and sports celebrities, but the list of Afro-American patriots and leaders has been relatively short.

As Black Nationalism grows in America we will see new heroes for young Afro-Americans to look up to and aspire to be like.

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See More Malcolm X Speeches at:

Malcolm X Speech - December 1962
Malcolm X Speech - June 1963
Malcolm X Speech - December 4, 1963
Malcolm X Speech - February 14, 1965