Jairus Edwards

Professor Noone
English 102
October 31, 2016
Views of Black History in Explanation
African American History, a history that holds much pride, but a history that hasnt been
taught enough. There is much pride that African Americans have when discussing or debating
African American History because over the years, history has repeated itself within the African
America community. How media shows African American Activist in 2016 much like the Black
Panthers in 1966. Benjamin Quarles would call them Black Revolutionary Nationalist. Benjamin
Quarles a noted Historian with a PH. D in American History, which he received from the
University of Wisconsin, is a prolific writer, scholar and educator to not only the African
American community, but the white community as well (Blackpast.org). In one of his essays,
Black Historys Diversified Clientele, he discusses the five different types of groups that
explain African American history: Black Rank in File, Black Revolutionary Nationalist, Black
Academic, White Academic, and the White lay (Quarles). The information that is found in
Quarles essay can be proven and compared to other text; the different types of groups can be
seen within them [1]. For example, Slave Resistance, by John Hope Franklin is written with
the Black Academics perspective, and Message to the Grass Roots, by Malcom X is written
from the Black Revolutionary Activist point of view.[2]

John Hope Franklin a highly esteemed historian and author, noted for scholarship that
focused on Southern history and racial politics. Highly active during the Civil Rights Movement,
taking care to separate his activism from his objectivity as a historian. He worked with major
cases like Lyman Johnson v. The University of Kentucky and Brown v. The Board of Education
and participated in the 1965 voting rights march that started in Selma, Alabama
(Biography.com). In his essay, Slave Resistance is a superb example of a Black Academic in
terms of style, content and purpose. They can relate with this example because of the tone that is
perceived as its read to argue the argument. The content that discusses the process of slavery and
with the history being used as a sense of welfare is parallel with the Black Academic, which is
distinct.
Franklins essay includes, but not limited to, the perspective of the Black Academic.
According to Quarles Black Academic are persons that hold history [as] a weapon of warfare,
attempting to recapture and mirror the past as accurately as possible (Quarles103). In Slave
Resistance, Franklin begins discussing the history of master-slave relationship [being] an
unnatural relationship and was not, by nature of things, inherent in the system (Franklin 27). By
the end of Franklins essay he shows how the knowledge of the history became a weapon of
warfare, with the Nat Turner Rebellion. Upon the occasion of the solar eclipse in February
1831, Turner decided that the time had come for him to lead his people out of bondage, says
Franklin (Franklin 32). This shows how the knowledge of history, being a slave, was used as
warfare. Franklin explained the history of being a slave; the relationship between master, and
slave, and the brutality. Following, he uses example of how that affected the slaves; the negative
impact that was held on slaves, therefore the rebellion led by Nat Turner. Since the Black

Academic wouldnt necessarily be a violent, they would use the knowledge of the rebellion in
the future to justify actions.
As it pertains to content for Black Academics, according to Quarles, avoids the obvious
or the well-knownacademician would deal less with persons and more with processes, less
with general Black history than with selected topics in Black History (Quarles103). Franklin
being an Academic holds this content within his own writing. He avoids the obvious, by adding
detail that isnt learned in a history class, like, he says, Self-mutilation were popular forms of
resistance to slavery (Franklin 28). Not only does he do that, but he discusses the processes of
slave resistance, and not just specifically one person, but the entire group of slaves. He uses
multiple examples like the Slave Carpenter, the Georgia Planter, the slave mother (Franklin 2829), and Nat Turner (Franklin 32). He clearly also uses a selected topic to focus on: Slave
Resistance [3]. Franklin says, Resistance could be found wherever slavery existed, and slavery
in the United States was no exception (Franklin 27). Within that quote is states what process is
being discussed, and the selected topic, and it goes beyond basic black history with the detail
further in the reading.
When writing Black Academic there is a specific tone that is heard as its read. Quarles
says, Black history written for the academic fraternity will in main take on a reflective, judicial
tone, taking its cue from the careful winnowing and sifting that preceded it (Quarles 104).
Another way that makes this group distinct, in terms of tone, is the evidence vs. emotion. In
support of Quarles, John Franklin uses the judicial tone expressing the slave resistance as it were
on trial. He uses language to convey how the rights of the slaves were violated, or not even
given. He even discusses how, laws for the purpose of protecting slaves were few and seldom
enforced (Franklin 27). The Black Academic uses factual language in their work; they create a

tone much like a research paper that uses rhetoric, and unknown information to the normal
public; however, there must be a restraint in passion and deeply emotional language, which
makes it hard because ethos is necessary for human affairs. However Franklin does justice to
Black Academics because he manages to follow Quarles description.
Malcom X, a prominent leader in the Nation of Islam [12]. Malcom X articulated
concepts of race, pride and Black Nationalism (biography.com). Message to the Grass Root, by
Malcom X is an example of Black Nationalism, and how one of the leaders of this kind of
culture viewed it. According to Quarles Black Nationalism focused upon exploiters and
oppressors, a case study in mans inhumanity to man (Quarles 102). The two essays are parallel,
in terms of Black Nationalism, because the information given in Quarles about the Black
Nationalism agrees with Malcom X.[11]
In Malcom Xs essay it reinforces the point or the purpose of a Black Nationalist, which
was stated in Quarles essay. Quarles says, that the Purpose of a Black Nationalist is, American
Societybe reconstructed and that Black History is, or should be, a means of ideological
indoctrination in the revolutionary cause of Black liberation (Quarles 102). The way purpose is
mentioned in Quarles essay is proven in Xs essay. In Malcom Xs essay he discusses the house
Negro vs the field Negro, and the differences and similarities in them. This identifies the purpose
because in the first sentences he says, And if you love revolution, you love Black
Nationalism. To understand this you have to go back to what the young brother referred to as the
house Negro and the field Negro (X 67). Malcoms essay directly states that Black Nationalism
is being used, and explaining the purpose is done with this comparison of house and field Negro.
Malcom is saying to understand why or why not one may love or hate Black Nationalism is that

with the information on slaves is the reason behind why they are in anger, and why they chose to
act the way Nationalist do to show their frustration.
In terms of content the Black Nationalist, emphasizes racial contrast, physical and
cultural. It propounds a black aesthetic and implies a black mystique (Quarles 102). The content
of a Black Nationalist carries the theme of oppression of slavery. This theme appears I Malcoms
essay due to him being a Black Nationalist. Since he talks about Slavery itself, and how the
Slave master is oppressing the slaves as Wolf and them as slaves the sheep it shows the parallel
between the two. Malcom uses the analogy of the dentist using Novocain to numb your jaw, as
you suffer peacefully, (X 68) to express the oppression of the white man to the slaves.
Lastly, in terms of style, the Black Nationalists tone is judgmental, with overtones of
recrimination, moral condemnation, and prophetic warning (Quarles 102). This is the tone used
in Malcoms essay. Malcom judges the house Negro compared to the field Negro; he says, If the
masters house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the
master would (X 67). This is to say, the house Negro was a suck up; a slave who was so
oppressed that they thought the masters cruel way was grace because they were treated a lot
better than the field Negro. In other terms, Malcom was judging their blindness.
Benjamin Quarles wrote an essay discussing the different groups, and how they read
African American history. He broke them down into three sections of purpose, content and style.
In regards, other literature holds and reiterates Quarles points in their own essays. For example
the Black Academic was prevalent in Slave Resistance, by John Hope Franklin. He followed
the points on purpose, content and style as a parallel to the essay. As well as Malcom X,

following the all the points of a Black Nationalist in his essay, Message to the Grass Roots.
Quarles wanted the message of how to read Black History, and he succeeded.
Works Cited
Malcom X Biography. The Biogrophy.com Website. A&E Network Television. Web
October 31, 2016.
John Hope Franklin. The Biogrophy.com Website. A&E Network Television. Web
October 26, 2016.
Quarles, Benjamin. Black History Diversified Clientele. Revelations an anthology of
expository essays by and about blacks. Teresa M Redd.
X, Malcom, The Message in the Grass Roots Revelations an anthology of expository
essays by and about blacks. Teresa M Redd.
Hope Franklin, John. Slave Resistance Revelations an anthology of expository essays
by and about blacks. Teresa M Redd.