Black Power

American  

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. the political and economic power of Black Americans in solidarity, especially such power used for achieving social equality.

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Black Power British  

noun

1. a social, economic, and political movement of Black people, esp in the US, to obtain equality with White people

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Black Power Cultural  

1. A movement that grew out of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Black Power calls for independent development of political and social institutions for black people and emphasizes pride in black culture. In varying degrees, Black Power advocates called for the exclusion of whites from black civil rights organizations. Stokely Carmichael, one of the leaders of the movement and the head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), stated: “I am not going to beg the white man for anything I deserve. I'm going to take it.”

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Etymology

Origin of Black Power

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Black Power

Her article, After Black Power, Women's Liberation, external brought her national fame, making her the face of the US feminist movement in the 1970s.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Smith and Carlos’ salute to Black Power is explored in HBO Max’s documentary “Fists of Freedom: The Story of the ’68 Summer Games.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026

These patterns aligned with the rise of the Black Power movement and its influence on cultural expression.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025

Similar tactics were used against the Ku Klux Klan, Students for a Democratic Society, and Black Power groups.

From Slate ● Aug. 30, 2025

By the time the weary marchers trudged into Jackson, the furor over Black Power had eclipsed discussion of voter registration, the march’s ostensible purpose.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

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