AN ANALYSIS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND THE BLACK AWAKENING: AMERICAN SOUTH AND SOUTH AFRICA

Year 2018, Issue: 69, 38 - 48, 06.11.2018

Fahriye Begüm Yıldızeli

Abstract

Belief and religion are interconnected
terms for the purposes of defining discrimination and segregation inside
societies. Particularly, during the white dominated regime years in the
American South and South Africa, two main religions; Christianity and Islam were
essence of key weapons in order to assemble and to collaborate for black people
against black segregation. Moreover, religion played a vital role in the Black
Power movement which paved the way for researchers and historians to conclusively
ascertain answers to why religion should be considered as one of the vital
dynamics of political resistance.

This research will attempt to investigate
the impact of the religions to the process of the black resistances as the mass
movements both ‘the Black Consciousness Movement’ in South Africa and ‘Civil
Rights Movement’ in the American South basically between the years 1960 and
1975. Besides, in order to achieve the arguments with comparisons and similarities,
Islam in the American South and Christianity in South Africa will be examined
specifically.

Additionally,
the image that specific religious leaders’ ideals and thoughts shaped on the
followers will be annexed to the research. Steve Biko and Malcolm X’s analysis
will be the key terms in order to reflect the religion in the black awakening
as a mass movement.

Basically, there will be an attempt to evaluate
the historical period of racism and its implication for the black segregation.
After defining the black resistance movements linked by the religious thoughts
and also by the leaders, eventually, the similarities, compassions and the links
between them will be reached as a conclusion.   

Keywords

Black Power Movement, Steve Biko, religion, Malcolm X, civil rights

References

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