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Now you know where I got my name.

Stokely Carmichael

An organization which claims to be working for the needs of a community – as SNCC does – must work to provide that community with a position of strength from which to make its voice heard. This is the significance of black power beyond the slogan
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Beyond Black Claim Community Need Organization Power Slogan Strength Work
It is a call for black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black Build Community Country Organization People Sense
There is a higher law than the law of government. That’s the law of conscience.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Conscience Government Law
I maintain that every civil rights bill in this country was passed for white people, not for black people.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black Civil Country People Right White
There has been only a civil rights movement, whose tone of voice was adapted to an audience of liberal whites.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Audience Civil Liberty Movement Rights White
Capitalism is a stupid system, a backward system.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Capitalism Stupidity System
Leaders in Africa are so corrupt that we are certain if we put dogs in uniforms and put guns on their shoulders, we’d be hard put to distinguish them.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Corruption Dog Leadership Uniform Weapon
One of the tragedies of the struggle against racism is that up to now there has been no national organization which could speak to the growing militancy of young black people in the urban ghetto.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black National People Struggle Tragedy Young
The first need of a free people is to define their own terms.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Define Freedom Need Terms
Now, then, in order to understand white supremacy we must dismiss the fallacious notion that white people can give anybody their freedom.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Freedom Order People Understand
I usually say I did the best I could with what I had. I have no major regrets.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Best Content Myself Regret
One does not fight to influence change and then leave the change to someone else to bring about.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Change Fight Influence Oneself
The death of Che Guevara places a responsibility on all revolutionaries of the World to redouble their decision to fight on to the final defeat of Imperialism. That is why in essence Che Guevara is not dead, his ideas are with us.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Death Decision Ideas Ourselves Place Responsibility
Our noses are broad, our lips are thick, our hair is nappy-we are black and beautiful!
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Beautiful Black Ourselves
I place my own hope for the United States in the growth of belief among the unqualified that they are in fact qualified: they can articulate and be responsible and hold power
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Belief Growth Hold Hope Myself Place Power Qualification
We had no more courage than Harriet Tubman or Marcus Garvey had in their times. We just had a more vulnerable enemy.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Courage Enemy Time Vulnerable
Now you know where I got my name.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Myself Name Yourself
The only position for women in SNCC is prone.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Position Women
An organization which claims to speak for the needs of a community must speak in the tone of that community.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Community Need Organization Talk
I knew that I could vote and that that wasn’t a privilege; it was my right. Every time I tried I was shot, killed or jailed, beaten or economically deprived.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Economics Known Myself Privilege Right Vote
Before a group can enter the open society, it must first close ranks.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Close Open Rank Society
No man can given anybody his freedom.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Freedom Man
I also know that while I am black I am a human being, and therefore I have the right to go into any public place. White people didn’t know that.Every time I tried to go into a place they stopped me
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black Known Myself People Place Stop White
I ain’t going to jail no more. The only way we gonna stop them white men from whuppin’ us is to take over. What we gonna start sayin’ now is Black Power!
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black Jail Power Prison Way
The secret of life is to have no fear; it’s the only way to function.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Fear Function Life Secret Way
Black Power can be clearly defined for those who do not attach the fears of white America to their questions about it.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

Black Define Power Question White
So that the failures to pass a civil rights bill isn’t because of Black Power, isn’t because of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; it’s not because of the rebellions that are occurring in the major cities.
STOKELY CARMICHAEL

City Civil Failure Occur Pass Rebel Right

Now you know where I got my name.

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Now you know where I got my name.

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