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Stokely Carmicheal in Nashville

Back in the day on April 8th, 1967, black power activist Stokely Carmichael delivered a speech at Vanderbilt University. As an invited guest to the Impact Symposium organized by students there, Carmichael’s arrival to Nashville, Tennessee a few days prior to the event was met with much controversy. The Tennessee State Senate, a local newspaper and trustees all tried in vain to prevent the chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee from coming to town. Once in the Nashville area, Carmichael delivered a speech the night before the Symposium at Fisk University where he beckoned that “there is going to be a change and a change soon in this community.” The following night after the activist’s address at Vanderbilt, an African-American was ejected from a restaurant when picketers and police clashed in the aftermath. In total, disturbances continued for three days as one hundred were arrested.

Carmichael was quick to catch blame for directly or indirectly provoking the violence. In his defense, he pointed to the actions of the police as the real cause.

For Uprising, this is your truth professa’ saying it’s no mystery why they conceal our people’s history