The Newark Black Power Conference was a three-day power convention held in Newark, New Jersey during the summer season of 1967. The conference mainly focused on the terrible oppression of the African-American community and to find possible solutions for better purpose and quality of life. It was the first Black Power Conference that took place in the country and involved organizations such as the Urban League, NAACP, Harlem Mau, Afro-American Unity and Maus along with some other big names such as Ron Karenga, Jessie Jackson, Floyd McKissick, Charles 27X Kenyatta and Rap Brown.

The man behind the planning of the Black Power Conference was Amiri Baraka, and the event was lead by Dr. Nathan Wright. The conference was scheduled to take place on July 20, 1967, before the so-called Rebellion hit. The conference committee was composed of some of the nationally acclaimed Black leaders from different regions, and Dr. Nathan Wright was made to lead and coordinate the whole 3-day event that happened at the Episcopal Church in the downtown of Newark. After the famous rebellion movement, the local power brokers insisted on calling the conference off, but the planners had something different in mind and continued their mission with full dedication and will to support the conference in all means.

During the Black Power Conference, their dedicated leaders went through a very tough time. It was bloodshed everywhere, and its main planner, Amiri Baraka’s head, was all in blood and was lying helplessly on the hospital bed, just after releasing from the jail. It was Newark police that was responsible for his condition, but all in vain as African-Americans have always seen tough time in the country. Baraka was one of the most powerful speakers whose tough words and right explanation made a lot of difference. The event ultimately became one of the largest gathering involving Black leaders, that represented not only America but also many leaders from Nigeria and Bermuda.

The conference included lectures and workshops for the members to find out solutions for the rising issues that every Black citizen in America faced. Many profitable ideas were brought forward that heavily focused on different development programs for the betterment of the Black community and its struggling youth. The main purpose of the Black Power Conference was the Black Power Manifesto that insisted on the end of the “neo-colonialist control” to bring about the Black population around the globe and to unite the African-American community by promoting the beautiful philosophy of Blackness.

Source Article:

http://riseupnewark.com/chapters/chapter-3/part-3/the-black-power-conference/

http://blackpower.web.unc.edu/2017/04/1967-newark-black-power-conference/