Where Do We Go From Here

King explains the disadvantages under which the civil rights movement has worked and analyzes the role of the government. For King, the government is willing to support programs but expects Black people to plan them. This divests the white majority from responsibility. What is important is not the planning of programs but the will to implement them.

King admits that until the mid-1960s, the movement was not working on the development of power. Nonviolent protests were effective but needed strategic organization. For King, because oppressed people struggle to develop awareness, the civil rights movement should explore its possibilities through its setbacks and creativity.

King explores the ways African Americans influence culture. He notes several Black intellectuals who have influenced white American thought. Black people reveal the weaknesses of American democracy, and their activism sets an example for white society. Despite their cultural invisibility, African Americans expose the “shame” of racism. King emphasizes nonviolence as a powerful practice.

King examines the economic oppression and exclusion of African Americans while noting their potential powers. Despite enormous obstacles, the success of Black businesses demonstrates Black people’s competence. King emphasizes the high number of Black people employed as workers and finds “potential strength” in the organized workforce.