Breaking Language: The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in Literature Main Menu Introduction: How was the Civil Rights Movement fought in language? Pre-Civil Rights Era Uses of Language: Epistemic Violence and Legal Restrictions James Brown, "Too Funky in Here" (1979) Builder Levy, I AM a Man (1968) Builder Levy, I Am a Man/Union Justice Now, Memphis, TN, 1968. From the series Civil Rights and Peace. Gelatin Silver print 13 1/16 × 8 13/16. artsy.net. Builder Levy, Harlem Peace March 1967 Builder Levy, Anti-War Protest Builder Levy, Harlem Peace March to End Racial Oppression, April 27, 1967. The statement "No black man ever called me chink: support the black struggle for existence" was taken from boxer/activist Muhammad Ali's original statement about his refusal to participate in the Vietnam War, "Ain't no Vietcong ever called me nigger." Amitage Digital Resources, Columbia University. Dykes on Bikes: Headlining SF Pride Parade since 1977 Malcolm X's Repudiation of a Slave Name Audre Lorde: "You cannot dismantle the master's house with the master's tools" (1984) Adrienne Rich "Diving into the Wreck" (1973) James Baldwin: Deconstructing the Language of Racism Conclusion: Language as a Medium for Activism and Liberation Creative Commons License Resources test of radial view visualization of content

Malcolm X: Language Play and Caustic Irony

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Another way to fight with language: play with it to make it memorable:

You can hear how important language is in this 1964 speech by Malcolm X. Notice how many times he speaks of the power of language to oppress and also to obfuscate or confuse: 

"One of the reasons that it is bad for us to continue to just refer to ourselves as the so-called Negro, that's negative. When we say so-called Negro that's pointing out what we aren't, but it isn't telling us what we are. We are Africans, and we happen to be in America. We are not Americans. We are a people who formerly were Africans who were kidnapped and brought to America. Our forefathers weren't the Pilgrims. We didn't land on Plymouth rock; the rock was landed on us. We were brought here against our will; we were not brought here to be made citizens. We were not brought here to enjoy the constitutional gifts that they speak so beautifully about today. Because we weren't brought here to be made citizens--today, now that we've become awakened to some degree, and we begin to ask for those things which they say are supposedly for all Americans, they look upon us with hostility and unfriendliness." --Malcolm X, speech in Audubon Ballroom, Washington Heights, New York, March 29, 1964

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