Black Power, the seemingly ubiquitous term so often referred to when discussing the topic of black equality in the United States. While progress, or at least the illusion of progress, has occurred over the past century, many of the problems that continue to plague black communities (as well as other minorities) have yet to be truly addressed. resolved. The dark cloud of endemic individual racism may have disappeared from a general perspective, but many sociologists, including Stokely Carmichael; the author of “Black Power: the Politics of Liberation in America,” argued and continues to argue that the oppressive hand of “institutional racism” still prevents the black community from achieving real progress. Carmichael sees America as a system that refuses to acknowledge the issue of race in an honest way. Because the country's power holders, white people, have no sense of urgency in the matter, they are comfortable taking their time to resolve such "inconvenient" problems. While the current power structure leaves those at the top in a particularly comfortable state, there is unlikely to be a desire to make changes that would only allow others to have an equal opportunity to occupy a position. such seat. far from being one that would allow any sort of real social progress for blacks, and when the demographic power deems it expedient to establish a state which coincides with the favor of the minority, it is rarely for the express purpose of granting additional rights to blacks. population of people over whom they hold such power. In all likelihood, as Carmichael and colleagues explain, the power structure was simply making efforts to accommodate a less submissive enslaved population. Although statements like this are easy... middle of paper...... at least be considered. The concepts of reform and revolution are almost polarizing by their very nature, with one seeking to modify, and the other seeking to destroy and rebuild. If an organized black movement were to find itself in an opportunistic position – whatever that might be – to attempt a radical movement (either reform or revolution), the resulting movement would have to be large and radical if it hoped to succeed. . achieve their goals before the opportunity for change ceases to present itself), it would only serve their efforts if they found themselves in a fragmented state of conflicting ideologies. But in either case, whether reform or revolution, a reconfiguration of the thought processes behind how one views the nature of American politics is undoubtedly necessary in order to examine the potential for a future liberation of blacks..