The Black Hammer: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
No edit summary Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
m Moving Category:Non-fiction books about the African-American civil rights movement to Category:Non-fiction books about the civil rights movement per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2024 August 20#Category:Non-fiction books about the African-American civil rights movement |
||
| (25 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|1967 book by Wes Andrews and Clyde Dalton}} |
|||
{{Infobox book |
{{Infobox book |
||
| italic title = <!--(see above)--> |
| italic title = <!--(see above)--> |
||
| Line 7: | Line 8: | ||
| country = United States |
| country = United States |
||
| language = English |
| language = English |
||
| genre = |
| genre = Political |
||
| publisher = Desco |
| publisher = Desco |
||
| pub_date = 1967 |
| pub_date = 1967 |
||
| pages = 101 |
| pages = 101 |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''''The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives''''' is a 1967 book by Wes Andrews and Clyde Dalton. |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | It is notable for being endorsed by [[Ezra Taft Benson]], the former [[Secretary of Agriculture]] in the [[Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower Administration]] and an [[apostle (Latter Day Saints)|apostle]] of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Benson also wrote the book's foreword. |
||
==Thesis== |
|||
| ⚫ | It is notable for being endorsed by [[Ezra Taft Benson]], the former Secretary of Agriculture in the [[Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower Administration]] and an [[apostle (Latter Day Saints)|apostle]] of [[ |
||
| ⚫ | The book was written in response to what the authors perceived as a [[communist]] takeover of the [[civil rights movement]].<ref>Andrews, W., & Dalton, C. (1967). The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives. full text online at: https://archive.org/stream/TheBlackHammer/The%20Black%20Hammer_djvu.txt</ref> The book cover features a decapitated and bleeding African-American head, being used at the end of a hammer in the communist [[hammer and sickle]], illustrating the book's theme that the civil rights movement was being used as a tool by communists. |
||
==Foreword== |
==Foreword== |
||
| ⚫ | In 1967 Benson gave a talk discussing his views on the civil rights movement at the anti-Communist/segregationist<ref>“Ezra Taft Benson Addresses Rally,” Deseret News, 7 Jan. 1963, A-3. For Benson's participation with Hargis and his Christian Crusade, see “This Week! 5 Great Nights of Christian Leadership Training: Christian Crusade Leadership School—Feb. 20-24,” advertisement in Tulsa Daily World, 19 Feb. 1967, photocopy in Williams papers. For background on Hargis, see John Harold Redekop, The American Far Right: A Case Study of Billy James Hargis and Christian Crusade (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1968).</ref> leadership school of [[Billy James Hargis]], who published it in his ''Christian Crusade'' magazine.<ref>Ezra Taft Benson, "Trade and Treason," ''Christian Crusade'' 19 (Apr. 1967):22-24</ref> Benson approved this talk to be used as the foreword to the book.<ref>Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4001 of 29417. see full text: https://archive.org/stream/TheBlackHammer/The%20Black%20Hammer_djvu.txt</ref><ref>Southern Poverty Law Center, https://www.splcenter.org/file/1913</ref> Historian [[D. Michael Quinn]] notes that Benson's endorsement of the book came at the time when the [[John Birch Society]] was making efforts to nominate Benson for U.S. president, with segregationist [[Strom Thurmond]] as his running mate. Quinn also speculates that the endorsement of this book by Benson may have been an attempt to curry favor with segregationist George Wallace, who did ask Benson to be his vice-presidential running mate for his [[George Wallace 1968 presidential campaign|1968 campaign]].<ref>Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4026 of 29417.</ref> |
||
In 1967 Benson gave a talk discussing his views on the civil rights movement at the anti-Communist/segregationist<ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
==Summary== |
==Summary== |
||
The book is dismissive of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|civil rights legislation]], warning that the organized efforts for civil rights were "part of the 100 year old Communist program for the enslavement of America," and that there existed "well-defined plans for the establishment of a Negro Soviet dictatorship in the South."<ref name="auto">Andrews, W., & Dalton, C. (1967). The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives. page 32-35</ref> |
The book is dismissive of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|civil rights legislation]], warning that the organized efforts for civil rights were "part of the 100 year old Communist program for the enslavement of America," and that there existed "well-defined plans for the establishment of a [[Republic of New Afrika|Negro Soviet]] dictatorship in the South."<ref name="auto">Andrews, W., & Dalton, C. (1967). The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives. page 32-35</ref> |
||
The book sarcastically criticized the legislation as reducing black self-reliance and fed into "the Negro's need for complete subservience to the Great White Fathers in Washington."<ref name="auto"/> |
The book sarcastically criticized the legislation as reducing black self-reliance and fed into "the Negro's need for complete subservience to the Great White Fathers in Washington."<ref name="auto"/> |
||
| Line 27: | Line 29: | ||
The book portrays African-Americans as victims rather than perpetrators of the communist plot, stating that they are "ready and willing to take any Negro by the hand and help him into an era of self-proprietorship that every deserving American can achieve."<ref>Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4026 of 29417</ref> |
The book portrays African-Americans as victims rather than perpetrators of the communist plot, stating that they are "ready and willing to take any Negro by the hand and help him into an era of self-proprietorship that every deserving American can achieve."<ref>Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4026 of 29417</ref> |
||
== |
==Reception== |
||
The [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] has labeled the book as "vicious and racist".<ref>ezra-taft-benson-black-hammer.jpg. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/file/1913</ref> |
The [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] has labeled the book as "vicious and racist".<ref>ezra-taft-benson-black-hammer.jpg. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/file/1913</ref> |
||
| Line 35: | Line 37: | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Hammer, The}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Hammer, The}} |
||
[[Category:1967 non-fiction books]] |
[[Category:1967 non-fiction books]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Non-fiction books about the civil rights movement]] |
||
[[Category:Anti-black racism in the United States]] |
[[Category:Anti-black racism in the United States]] |
||
[[Category:Anti-communism in the United States]] |
[[Category:Anti-communism in the United States]] |
||
Latest revision as of 11:34, 25 September 2024
 | |
| Author | Wes Andrews and Clyde Dalton |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Political |
| Publisher | Desco |
Publication date | 1967 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 101 |
The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives is a 1967 book by Wes Andrews and Clyde Dalton. It is notable for being endorsed by Ezra Taft Benson, the former Secretary of Agriculture in the Eisenhower Administration and an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Benson also wrote the book's foreword.
Thesis
[edit]The book was written in response to what the authors perceived as a communist takeover of the civil rights movement.[1] The book cover features a decapitated and bleeding African-American head, being used at the end of a hammer in the communist hammer and sickle, illustrating the book's theme that the civil rights movement was being used as a tool by communists.
Foreword
[edit]In 1967 Benson gave a talk discussing his views on the civil rights movement at the anti-Communist/segregationist[2] leadership school of Billy James Hargis, who published it in his Christian Crusade magazine.[3] Benson approved this talk to be used as the foreword to the book.[4][5] Historian D. Michael Quinn notes that Benson's endorsement of the book came at the time when the John Birch Society was making efforts to nominate Benson for U.S. president, with segregationist Strom Thurmond as his running mate. Quinn also speculates that the endorsement of this book by Benson may have been an attempt to curry favor with segregationist George Wallace, who did ask Benson to be his vice-presidential running mate for his 1968 campaign.[6]
Summary
[edit]The book is dismissive of the civil rights legislation, warning that the organized efforts for civil rights were "part of the 100 year old Communist program for the enslavement of America," and that there existed "well-defined plans for the establishment of a Negro Soviet dictatorship in the South."[7]
The book sarcastically criticized the legislation as reducing black self-reliance and fed into "the Negro's need for complete subservience to the Great White Fathers in Washington."[7]
The book portrays African-Americans as victims rather than perpetrators of the communist plot, stating that they are "ready and willing to take any Negro by the hand and help him into an era of self-proprietorship that every deserving American can achieve."[8]
Reception
[edit]The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the book as "vicious and racist".[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Andrews, W., & Dalton, C. (1967). The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives. full text online at: https://archive.org/stream/TheBlackHammer/The%20Black%20Hammer_djvu.txt
- ^ “Ezra Taft Benson Addresses Rally,” Deseret News, 7 Jan. 1963, A-3. For Benson's participation with Hargis and his Christian Crusade, see “This Week! 5 Great Nights of Christian Leadership Training: Christian Crusade Leadership School—Feb. 20-24,” advertisement in Tulsa Daily World, 19 Feb. 1967, photocopy in Williams papers. For background on Hargis, see John Harold Redekop, The American Far Right: A Case Study of Billy James Hargis and Christian Crusade (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1968).
- ^ Ezra Taft Benson, "Trade and Treason," Christian Crusade 19 (Apr. 1967):22-24
- ^ Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4001 of 29417. see full text: https://archive.org/stream/TheBlackHammer/The%20Black%20Hammer_djvu.txt
- ^ Southern Poverty Law Center, https://www.splcenter.org/file/1913
- ^ Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4026 of 29417.
- ^ a b Andrews, W., & Dalton, C. (1967). The Black Hammer: A Study of Black Power, Red Influence and White Alternatives. page 32-35
- ^ Quinn, D. M. (2017). The Mormon hierarchy: extensions of power. Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates. e-book location 4026 of 29417
- ^ ezra-taft-benson-black-hammer.jpg. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/file/1913