Honors College Theses

Publication Date

5-7-2024

Major

Philosophy (B.A.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Jasmine Wallace

Abstract

Liberation movements for Black people have been prominent throughout American history. Chattel slavery and Jim Crow laws caused centuries of anti-black oppression. They continuously evolved into other anti-black structures – mass incarceration, predatory loan companies, and healthcare inequalities, to name a few – that require us to address these issues still today. The most recent Black liberation movement, Black Lives Matter, experienced a brief uptick in support after George Floyd’s murder but, overall, failed to address these issues. This thesis outlines three approaches to Black liberation in the U.S. to determine the most effective. First, drawing on Frederick Douglass’ autobiographies, I argue that liberation from chattel slavery emphasized the importance of education so that Black people could meaningfully participate in social and political life. Second, I argue that Martin Luther King Jr. espoused civil disobedience as the only viable path for Black liberation because it demonstrated Black people’s ability to engage in political resistance without threatening the foundations of liberalism on which this country was built. Moreover, turning to the Black Panther Party (BPP), I argue that Black liberation remains incomplete so long as it does not also combat capitalism. This thesis examines how the different contexts and periods required different strategies for resistance, which reveals to us the differing visions of Black liberation itself. Ultimately, I will argue that liberation is more effective than liberation in order to eradicate white supremacy once and for all.

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