AN ANALYSIS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND THE BLACK AWAKENING: AMERICAN SOUTH AND SOUTH AFRICA

Öz Belief and religion are interconnected terms for the purposes of defining discrimination and segregation inside societies. Particularly, during the white dominated regime years in the American South and South Africa, two main religions; Christianity and Islam were essence of key weapons in order to assemble and to collaborate for black people against black segregation. Moreover, religion played a vital role in the Black Power movement which paved the way for researchers and historians to conclusively ascertain answers to why religion should be considered as one of the vital dynamics of political resistance. This research will attempt to investigate the impact of the religions to the process of the black resistances as the mass movements both ‘the Black Consciousness Movement’ in South Africa and ‘Civil Rights Movement’ in the American South basically between the years 1960 and 1975. Besides, in order to achieve the arguments with comparisons and similarities, Islam in the American South and Christianity in South Africa will be examined specifically. Additionally, the image that specific religious leaders’ ideals and thoughts shaped on the followers will be annexed to the research. Steve Biko and Malcolm X’s analysis will be the key terms in order to reflect the religion in the black awakening as a mass movement. Basically, there will be an attempt to evaluate the historical period of racism and its implication for the black segregation. After defining the black resistance movements linked by the religious thoughts and also by the leaders, eventually, the similarities, compassions and the links between them will be reached as a conclusion.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Black Power Movement, Steve Biko, religion, Malcolm X, civil rights

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