Black Manifesto facts for kids
The Black Manifesto was an important document from 1969. It asked for $500 million from white churches and synagogues. This money was meant as reparations, or a way to make up for the harm caused by slavery and segregation against African-Americans. The manifesto argued that these religious groups had played a part in these injustices.
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How the Black Manifesto Started
The idea for the Black Manifesto came about during a special meeting called the National Black Economic Development Conference. This conference took place in Detroit, Michigan, in 1969. A civil rights leader named James Forman wrote the first version of the manifesto. On April 26, 1969, he showed it to the people at the conference. They voted on it, and most of them, 187 delegates, supported it, while 63 did not.
What the Black Manifesto Demanded
The manifesto explained that much of America was built using the forced labor of enslaved Black people. It also stated that churches and synagogues had, in some ways, allowed this to happen. The first part of the manifesto said:
We the black people assembled in Detroit, Michigan for the National Black Economic Development Conference are fully aware that we have been forced to come together because racist white America has exploited our resources, our minds, our bodies, our labor. For centuries we have been forced to live as colonized people inside the United States, victimized by the most vicious, racist system in the world. We have helped to build the most industrial country in the world.
The manifesto asked for $500 million in donations. This money was to go to specific organizations, some of which were new or still being formed.
Specific Demands for Funds
- Land Bank: The largest request was for $200 million to create a land bank in the American South. This would help Black people who were forced to leave their land due to unfair pressure. It would also help people start cooperative farms together.
- Publishing Companies: $40 million was requested to be split among four publishing and printing companies. These companies would serve Black communities in cities like Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York.
- Television Networks: Four new television networks were planned, each needing $10 million. These networks, located in Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and Washington, D.C., would offer a different view from what the manifesto called "racist propaganda."
- Research Center: $30 million was set aside to create a research center. This center would study the social challenges faced by African-Americans.
- Black University: Finally, $130 million was requested to start a Black university in the American South.
James Forman shared the manifesto with the public on May 4, 1969. He did this at New York City's Riverside Church during a Sunday service. The day before, he had asked for permission to speak but was told no by the minister, Rev. Dr. Ernest Campbell. To try and stop Forman's speech, the minister had the organist play music and some church members quietly left. The church later got a court order to prevent Forman from speaking there again.
The manifesto was also read aloud on May 4 at the First United Presbyterian Church of San Francisco. It was later printed in the New York Review of Books on July 10, 1969.
What Happened After the Black Manifesto
Most churches and synagogues did not agree to the demands of the Black Manifesto. However, a few churches did give donations to the organizations mentioned in the manifesto. Many religious groups also started to look at their own practices. They wanted to make sure they offered equal opportunities to people of color.
On August 29, 1969, Time magazine reported on the manifesto's impact. It said that only about $22,000 had been given to James Forman's National Black Economic Development Conference. However, the magazine also noted that Forman's demands had been successful in making churches think deeply about their actions and beliefs.
