The Rise of "Black Power"

Stokely Carmichael addressing crowd at Will Rogers Park in Watts, Los Angeles, California.

June 7 - 26 - In June 1966, Dr. King, Stokley Carmichael and other civil rights leaders joined together to complete James Meredith's March Against Fear.   Along the way, on the night of June 17, Carmichael, in a speech in Greenwood, Mississippi, revved up the crowd with cries of "Black Power."   Many say that the introduction of this phrase dramatically changed the focus of the Movement and split the formerly united civil rights organizations.  One month later, the split was evident as the members of CORE, at their national convention, openly expressed their support for Black Power and the members of the NAACP, at their national convention, refused to support the concept.