Black Nationalism in the United States: From Malcolm X to Barack Obama

Black nationalism. Is it an outdated political strategy? Or, as James Taylor argues in his rich, sweeping analysis, a logical response to the failure of post–civil rights politics? Taylor offers a provocative assessment of the contemporary relevance and interpretation of black nationalism as both a school of thought and a mode of mobilization. Fundamental to his analysis is the assertion that black nationalism should be understood not simply as a separatist movement—the traditional conception—but instead as a common-sense psychological orientation with long roots in US political history. Providing entirely new lines of insight and analysis, his work ranges from the religious foundations of black political ideologies to the nationalist sentiments of today’s hip-hop generations.
---------
Review
An important, much needed analysis of black nationalism.... Highly recommended. --Choice

Taylor offers up a careful, nuanced, and well-argued thesis about the central role of black nationalism as a critical historical aspect of black politics.... Critical for uncovering the nature of political visions and engagement among the youth of the hip-hop generation. --Kevin Anderson, Perspectives on Politics

An extraordinary piece of research and analysis.... deeply grounded in the historical and contemporary literatures on black nationalism, with fresh theoretical perspectives.... Powerful and important. --Robert C. Smith, San Francisco State University
About the Author
James Lance Taylor is associate professor of politics at the University of San Francisco.