Us, Kawaida Philosophy and the Black Liberation Movement: A Critical Reading of the Revolutionary Record

• In Event: Us, Kawaida and the Black Radical and Revolutionary Tradition: Critical Reflections on 50 Years of Righteous and Relentless Struggle

Abstract

Placed in the context among the self-defined revolutionary organizations of the era of its founding, the organization Us formed a vital part of the discourse and struggles of the Black Power Movement (1965-1975), and continues to develop and play an ongoing important role in major Black intellectual and political initiatives. Us defined itself as a revolutionary vanguard committed to cultural revolution, cultural nationalism and Black liberation. Its concept of cultural nationalism was conceived as a revolutionary cultural nationalism in the tradition of Malcolm X, Sekou Toure and Amilcar Cabral who understood revolution and liberation as “an act of culture”. Thus, Kawaida understood and defines cultural nationalism as thought and practice organized around three fundamental propositions: the defining feature of a nation or people is its culture; for a people to be itself and free itself it must be self-conscious, self-determining and rooted in its own culture; and the quality of life of a people and the success of its liberation struggle depend on its waging cultural revolution within and political revolution without, resulting in a radical transformation of itself, society and ultimately the world.

Stressing service to the people, institution building, and struggle, Us defined self-determination, self-respect and self-defense as the fundamental principles and practice of Black Power. And its stress on re-Africanization, the practice of Kwanzaa, operational unity, the Nguzo Saba, pan-Africanism, ujamaa, serudj ta—repairing and remaking the world, and other fundamental concepts of Kawaida remain the philosophical foundation and value orientation for millions of persons and thousands of organizations throughout the world African community.

Marking its 50th anniversary in 2015, Us has endured and developed, in spite of state suppression and disinformation, political opposition, continued character assassination, and the decline and disintegration of the Black Power Movement. And it has continued to play a unique and vanguard role in the major African-centered movements and in Black intellectual and political culture since the 60s. The governing interest of this paper is to analyze and articulate this history and legacy of the organization Us and extract useful lessons from it to inform the ongoing historic struggle and current initiatives of Black people to free themselves and be themselves and in the process, contribute meaningfully to expanding the realm of human freedom and human flourishing and securing the well-being of the world.

Author

• Maulana Karenga, California State University, Long Beach