Black conservatism
Encyclopedia
Black conservatism is a political and social movement rooted in communities of African descent that aligns largely with the conservative movement around the world. It often emphasizes patriotism
, independence and self-sufficiency, free enterprise, and strong cultural conservatism
within the context of the Black church. In the United States
it is often, but not exclusively, associated with the Republican Party
.
to immigration from the Commonwealth during the 1950s and 1960s, culminating in the infamous speech by a leading Conservative Enoch Powell
, in which he predicted mass immigration would lead to "a river of blood
".
Despite this there has long been a small number of conservative blacks. In recent years the Conservatives have attempted to undo the long-standing conservative prejudices, by attacking racism and trying to cultivate more of a following amongst the black community.
Increasingly more black and ethnic minority figures are being appointed and elected to positions within the Conservative Party. Notable black Conservatives in the United Kingdom
include Lord Taylor of Warwick, Adam Afriyie MP
, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
and James Cleverly
, a member of the London Assembly
, and solicitor / businesswoman Helen Grant
http://www.helengrant.org. Boxer Frank Bruno
has also been a vocal supporter of the Conservative Party.
and Senator Donald Oliver
, both of whom serve in the Senate of Canada. Senator Oliver is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
, while Cools is a non-aligned Senator recognized as voting mainly with the Conservative caucus. Lincoln Alexander
was Canada's first black MP, and served as a Federal Member of Parliament between 1968 to 1980 in the riding of Hamilton West. Alberta MPP Lindsay Blackett
is a member of the Conservative Party.
is a political and social movement rooted in communities of African descent
that aligns largely with the American conservative movement. Since the Civil Rights Movement in the latter 20th Century, the African-American community has generally swung to the left of the right-wing conservative movement, and has predominantly favored itself on the side of liberalism and civil rights progressives. Black conservatism emphasizes traditionalism
, strong patriotism
, capitalism
, free markets, and opposition to abortion and gay marriage in the context of the black Church. Some elected black conservatives include Florida representative Allen West, South Carolina representative Tim Scott
, former Oklahoma representative J.C. Watts
, and former Connecticut representative Gary Franks
. Other notable black conservatives include economist Thomas Sowell
, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
, perennial political candidate Alan Keyes
, and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas
. In 2009, Michael Steele became the first black man to chair the Republican National Committee
.
), conservative parties are often formed and constituted to target specific religions in their areas of greatest political dominance.
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, independence and self-sufficiency, free enterprise, and strong cultural conservatism
Cultural conservatism
Cultural conservatism is described as the preservation of the heritage of one nation, or of a shared culture that is not defined by national boundaries. Other variants of cultural conservatism are concerned with culture attached to a given language such as Arabic.The shared culture may be as...
within the context of the Black church. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
it is often, but not exclusively, associated with the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Black conservatism in the United Kingdom
While there was an early link in the 18th century between Black Britons, mainly former slaves, and the abolitionist conservatives who successfully sought the end of the slave trade in 1807 many Black Britons have not traditionally supported conservative policies. This in some part emerged from the hostility of the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
to immigration from the Commonwealth during the 1950s and 1960s, culminating in the infamous speech by a leading Conservative Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
, in which he predicted mass immigration would lead to "a river of blood
Rivers of Blood speech
The "Rivers of Blood" speech was a speech criticising Commonwealth immigration, as well as proposed anti-discrimination legislation in the United Kingdom made on 20 April 1968 by Enoch Powell , the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West...
".
Despite this there has long been a small number of conservative blacks. In recent years the Conservatives have attempted to undo the long-standing conservative prejudices, by attacking racism and trying to cultivate more of a following amongst the black community.
Increasingly more black and ethnic minority figures are being appointed and elected to positions within the Conservative Party. Notable black Conservatives in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
include Lord Taylor of Warwick, Adam Afriyie MP
Adam Afriyie
Adam Afriyie is a British Conservative Party politician, and the Member of Parliament for Windsor. He was first elected at the 2005 general election and re-elected at the 2010 election.-Early life:...
, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is a British businessman, farmer, founder of "The Black Farmer" range of food products, and was unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for the Chippenham constituency for the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
and James Cleverly
James Cleverly
James Spencer Cleverly is Leader of the Conservative group on the London Assembly, the Chairman of the London Waste and Recycling Board and until February 2010 was the Mayor of London's Ambassador for Youth. He was elected for the Bexley and Bromley constituency in May 2008 as a candidate of the...
, a member of the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
, and solicitor / businesswoman Helen Grant
Helen Grant (politician)
Helen Grant is a British lawyer and Conservative Party politician. She is the current Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent. She was elected at the 2010 general election, replacing the constituency's previous incumbent, Ann Widdecombe, who had decided to step down as an MP...
http://www.helengrant.org. Boxer Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
has also been a vocal supporter of the Conservative Party.
Black conservatism in Canada
Notable black conservatives in Canada include Senator Anne CoolsAnne Cools
Anne Clare Cools is a member of the Canadian Senate. Born in Barbados, with her appointment, she became the first Black Canadian to be appointed to Canada's upper house...
and Senator Donald Oliver
Donald Oliver
Donald H. Oliver, QC is a Canadian Senator.A lawyer and developer, Oliver is a member of Nova Scotia's Black minority. He is the nephew of Canadian opera singer Portia White, politician Bill White and labour union activist Jack White, and the cousin of political strategist Sheila White...
, both of whom serve in the Senate of Canada. Senator Oliver is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, while Cools is a non-aligned Senator recognized as voting mainly with the Conservative caucus. Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
-External links:* * *...
was Canada's first black MP, and served as a Federal Member of Parliament between 1968 to 1980 in the riding of Hamilton West. Alberta MPP Lindsay Blackett
Lindsay Blackett
Lindsay Blackett is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the constituency of Calgary-North West as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
is a member of the Conservative Party.
Black conservatism in the United States
Black conservatism in the United StatesBlack conservatism in the United States
Black conservatism in the United States is a political and social movement rooted in communities of African descent that aligns largely with the American conservative movement...
is a political and social movement rooted in communities of African descent
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
that aligns largely with the American conservative movement. Since the Civil Rights Movement in the latter 20th Century, the African-American community has generally swung to the left of the right-wing conservative movement, and has predominantly favored itself on the side of liberalism and civil rights progressives. Black conservatism emphasizes traditionalism
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
, strong patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, free markets, and opposition to abortion and gay marriage in the context of the black Church. Some elected black conservatives include Florida representative Allen West, South Carolina representative Tim Scott
Tim Scott (politician)
Timothy Eugene "Tim" Scott is the U.S. Representative for . Elected in November 2010 to the 112th Congress, he and Allen West of Florida are the first Republican African-American Representatives from the South since Reconstruction, and the first Republican African-American members of Congress...
, former Oklahoma representative J.C. Watts
J.C. Watts
Julius Caesar "J. C." Watts, Jr. is an American politician from Oklahoma who was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners and professionally in the Canadian Football League. Watts served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, representing the 4th...
, and former Connecticut representative Gary Franks
Gary Franks
Gary A. Franks was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut for six years, from 1991 until 1997. He was the first and to date only African-American elected to Congress from Connecticut.-Early life:...
. Other notable black conservatives include economist Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. A National Humanities Medal winner, he advocates laissez-faire economics and writes from a libertarian perspective...
, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, perennial political candidate Alan Keyes
Alan Keyes
Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S...
, and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Succeeding Thurgood Marshall, Thomas is the second African American to serve on the Court....
. In 2009, Michael Steele became the first black man to chair the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
.
Conservatism in Africa
In the post-Cold War period, a number of avowedly-conservative parties have developed in most African countries. In countries where the population is divided by religion (i.e., NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
), conservative parties are often formed and constituted to target specific religions in their areas of greatest political dominance.
See also
- List of African American Republicans
- Hip Hop RepublicanHip Hop RepublicanHip Hop Republican is a combined music and politics blog started in 2004 by Richard Ivory. Ivory says that he started the blog in part because of frustration with the belief that blacks must be democrats...
- Black leftism
External links
- Republicans for Black Empowerment
- The John Langston Forum
- The Uncle Tom Dilemma from The Village VoiceThe Village VoiceThe Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
- The New Black Republicans from WBURWBURWBUR refers to two radio stations in Massachusetts, WBUR AM and FM, both owned by Boston University. WBUR is the largest of three NPR member stations in Boston, Massachusetts, along with WGBH and WUMB-FM, and the only one to focus exclusively on news and talk...
, Boston's NPR - The .......Uncle Tom Negro! from HipHopRepublican.com
- http://www.conservatives.com/ the United Kingdom Conservative Party.
- http://www.conservative.ca/ the Conservative Part of Canada.