Black Power and the Power of Protest: Re-Examining Approaches for Radical Economic Development

A look at movements organized and carried out in Philadelphia aimed at economically empowering African Americans could be useful in assessing degrees of success toward identified objectives and in evaluating gains toward addressing the critical question of economic self-sufficiency. The African American community in Philadelphia has a lengthy history of social activism and was successful in establishing early legislation protecting African American employment rights. This paper surveys demonstrations in Philadelphia geared toward improving African Americans’ collective economic reality. Next, it assesses the success of the demonstrations in Philadelphia toward their desired objectives. Then, it analyzes the significance of these movements toward addressing the central concern of economic stability. Lastly, it recommends necessary shifts in objectives to adequately address economic self-sufficiency.