HSS-403
Mid-Essay: Paper
Junius William and his Journey through Newark
“There are turning points in everyone’s life when we have to fight, even if we have to do it by ourselves and in public.”(Junius Williams) Junius William is an author of book “Unfinished Agenda” which takes reader through a ride of Newark. He talks about how Newark has fought through the tough time during 1960’s and so on. Junius Williams grew up in Richmond, Virginia, he defines it as “Gateway to the Confederacy. Virginia was a slave-breeding state not known for the brutality associated with the cotton belt in places like Mississippi and Alabama.” Parents of Williams were classically trained musicians. He grew up in a supportive, well educated, extended …show more content…
Before the power was restored, Junius Williams and he’s few friends made their own organization called NAPA. They planned the organization to organize the people According to Derrick Bell “the face at the bottom of the well.” NAPA started with students, college dropouts, People from other organizations. Mr. Williams states that in the “1960’s Newark’s Culture dominated by two institution churches and bars.” NAPA started to grow because of reputation and it also grew because they helped other organization. NAPA helped and offered people a chance to grow by discovering who they were based on their potential. Even if they were uneducated, poor. In 1968 NAPA formed alliance with the welfare Rights organization. In 1969, they forced Rutgers to admit more black student and hire more black faculty. After some hard work Rutgers agreed to a plan that was one of the best. Which sets 25 percent black and Latino students in each entering freshman class. Which I think was a bigger step taken by NAPA because it really helps black people to get educated.
Black power was new thing in Newark. Black power showed up in different ways. But still there were some aspect of Black Nationalism that NAPA and other organizations avoided. Author characterizes the Black Nationalism, by identifying everything as a black. And also he recognized the fear white people had of black consciousness. Not all people were in favor of the word “Black Power” some people would just lay low if they heard that term. Some people were in favor of both which different consciousness