Organization of Afro-American Unity facts for kids
The Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) was a group started by Malcolm X in 1964. It was created to help African Americans and to bring together people of African descent from around the world. Malcolm X was inspired by a trip to Africa, where he saw the Organization of African Unity (OAU). He wanted the OAAU to work in a similar way, but for Black people in the Americas.
Malcolm X announced the OAAU in New York City on June 28, 1964. He wrote the group's plan with help from others like John Henrik Clarke and Gloria Richardson. Some government officials, like J. Edgar Hoover from the FBI, saw the new group as a concern for national security.
Contents
What Were the OAAU's Main Goals?
Malcolm X and John Henrik Clarke wrote down the main ideas for the OAAU. These ideas were called the "Basic Unity Program." They focused on several key areas:
Connecting with Africa
- Restoration: The OAAU believed it was important for African Americans to reconnect with Africa. This would help them overcome the challenges they faced.
- Reorientation: The group encouraged learning more about Africa. They suggested reading books and listening to people who had visited the continent.
Education and Learning
- Education: The OAAU wanted to create new ways of teaching children. They aimed to help young Black people think freely and understand their own history. They also wanted Black writers to create textbooks that would help educate their community.
Building Economic Strength
- Economic Security: The OAAU recognized that African Americans were a large group with shared experiences. They believed that if Black people had economic freedom, they could become very powerful. The group wanted to create a "technician bank" to help newly independent African nations. This meant skilled Black Americans could offer their help to their brothers and sisters in Africa.
Protecting Themselves
- Self Defense: The OAAU taught that people must be able to defend themselves. They encouraged African Americans to protect themselves from racist attacks. They believed this right was guaranteed by the United Nations Charter of Human Rights and the U.S. Constitution.
How the OAAU Worked
The OAAU wanted Black communities to have control over every part of their lives. Malcolm X said the group's main goal was to fight for the human rights of Black people. But they also worked on other important issues, such as:
- Helping people register to vote.
- Organizing school boycotts.
- Supporting rent strikes.
- Improving housing.
- Creating social programs for unwed mothers and troubled children.
Malcolm X saw the OAAU as a way to help Black people "un-brainwash" themselves. He wanted them to get rid of the false ideas they had been taught about themselves and their culture.
In July 1964, Malcolm X went to a meeting of the Organisation of African Unity in Cairo. He was welcomed as a representative of the OAAU, showing the group's connection to Africa.
When asked if white people could join the OAAU, Malcolm X said "Definitely not." However, he added that if John Brown, a famous abolitionist, were still alive, they might consider him.
The End of the OAAU
Malcolm X did not have much time to work on the OAAU before he was killed. After his death, his half-sister, Ella Little-Collins, took over the leadership. However, without Malcolm X's strong presence, the number of members slowly decreased. Eventually, the Organization of Afro-American Unity stopped operating.
See also
In Spanish: Organización de la Unidad Afroamericana para niños
