at of revolution, he states, When you ask free men that question [What are you going to do about theoppression?] you appeal to men who, though sunk to the verge of despair, yet are capable of uprising and ripping hip and thigh those who deemed them incapable of rising above their condition. The history of mankind is fruitful of such uprisings of races and classes reduced to a condition of absolute despair. (133)The enslavement of the black race may have changed facades, but the theme of upward mobility remained strong and defiant, more resounding with rage than ever before.Marcus Garvey stands alone as one who has vehemently sought to channel the rage of his people militantly. He exclaims,Shall we not fight for the glorious opportunity of protecting and forever more establishing ourselves as a mighty race and nation, never more to be disrespected by men? Glorious shall be the battle when the time comes to fight for our people and our race. (332)Garvey, a pioneer of Black Nationalism, envisioned an autonomous African nation free from white rule and oppression. His vision included marshaling the 400,000,000 Negroes of the world to fight for the emancipation of the race and of the redemption of the country of our fathers (325). Dismissing the possibility of obtaining equality in America, he concludes that so long as there is a black and white population, when the majority is on the side of the white race, you and I will never get political justice or get political equality in this country (my emphasis) (330). Perhaps most significant about Garveys rhetoric is his expressed desire to dominate racially. His vision included a government that will place [the black race] in control, even as other races are in control of their own governments (326). Inherent throughout African-American literature and rhetoric is this dominant theme of overcoming oppression and obtaining not just equality, but obtaining autonomy and, more notably, contr...
