The Civil Rights Movement was not a monolith; there were two sides to this coin. There were those, like Marcus Garvey, who believed equality could not be achieved and those who believed that their ancestors, despite building the nation, were still unable to enjoy the same rights as white Americans.
In this episode, we learn about some of the lesser-known figures and fringe groups of the civil rights movement, and how they diverged from the mainstream. They were critical of mainstream civil rights methods and focused on economic inequality as well as racial injustice.
The black vote in America is divided into two sides, with the Marcus Garvey's of the world advocating that black people will never be treated fairly, while most black people in America vote for the Democratic Party, despite not being embraced as equal comrades. During the Great Depression, FDR successfully won the black vote for the Democrats by involving black people in the new deal, giving them access to social programs, and appointing black men as advisors.
The speaker reflects on the pride and frustration in being a black American. They discuss the struggle of feeling both included and excluded in society and the weight of disillusionment in the election process.