Stokely Carmichael
Trinidadian-American activist who popularized Black Power.
Kwame Ture (born Stokely Standiford Churchill Carmichael; June 29, 1941 – November 15, 1998) was a Trinidadian-American activist who played a major role in the civil rights movement in the United States and the global pan-African movement. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, he moved to the United States at age 11 and became an activist while attending the Bronx High School of Science. Ture was a key leader in the development of the Black Power movement, first while leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), then as the 'Honorary Prime Minister' of the Black Panther Party and as a leader of the All-African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP).
- born
- June 29, 1941, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
- died
- November 15, 1998, age 57
- field
- Activism, civil rights, pan-Africanism
- nationality
- Trinidadian-American
- known_for
- Leading the Black Power movement, Freedom Rides, SNCC leadership, Black Panther
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Carmichael became disillusioned with the two-party system after the 1964 Democratic National Convention failed to recognize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party as official delegates from the state. He eventually decided to develop independent all-black political organizations, such as the Lowndes County Freedom Organization and, for a time, the national Black Panther Party. Inspired by Malcolm X's example, he articulated a philosophy of black power, and popularized it both by provocative speeches and more sober writings. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover secretly identified Carmichael as the man most likely to succeed Malcolm X as America's 'black messiah'. The FBI targeted him for counterintelligence activity through its COINTELPRO program, causing Carmichael to move to Africa in 1968. He reestablished himself in Ghana, and then Guinea by 1969. There, he adopted the name Kwame Ture, and began campaigning internationally for revolutionary socialist pan-Africanism.
Reader's Guide
Carmichael became one of the most popular and controversial Black leaders of the late 1960s. His shift from nonviolent protest to Black Power marked a significant evolution in the civil rights movement. After moving to Africa, he adopted the name Kwame Ture and campaigned internationally for revolutionary socialist pan-Africanism. His legacy includes his role in the Freedom Rides, his leadership in SNCC and the Black Panther Party, and his lasting influence on Black Power and pan-African thought. He died of prostate cancer in 1998 at age 57.
Did You Know?
- Carmichael was one of the original SNCC Freedom Riders of 1961 under Diane Nash's leadership.
- At age 19, he was the youngest detainee at Parchman Penitentiary in the summer of 1961, serving 49 days with other activists.
- FBI director J. Edgar Hoover secretly identified Carmichael as the man most likely to succeed Malcolm X as America's 'black messiah'.
- Carmichael graduated from Howard University in 1964 with a degree in philosophy and turned down a full graduate scholarship to Harvard University.
- He adopted the name Kwame Ture after moving to Guinea by 1969.
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