Black Globalism

The International Politics of a Non-State Nation

First published in 1998, Black Globalism: The International Politics of a Non-state Nation examines the international political behaviour of African-Americans. From the slave revolts of Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner, to the influence of the Congressional Black Caucus on US foreign policy, the author examines the impact of the domestic racial environment on the international interests and activities of African-Americans. Black Globalism uses three levels of analysis to describe the dimensions of this international activity. At the individual level, the emigration debate which included Frederick Douglass, David Walker, Benjamin Russworm, Paul Cuffee, Martin Delany is considered. Here, the emigration efforts of Chief Alfred Sam, Bishop Henry Turner and Marcus Garvey are examined. The influence of scholar and activist W.E.B. DuBois and the leadership of Malcolm X is examined with respect to their ideological impact on the transnational political activity on organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, the Nation of Islam, and the Black Panther Party. From the 1869 appointment of Andrew Young to the US Ambassador to the United Nations, the impact of African-Americans on US foreign policy decision making is examined. This includes the Congressional Black Caucus’ influence on president Clinton’s humanitarian intervention in Haiti. This governmental level analysis includes an examination of the history and politics of desegregating the US Department of State. Finally, the relative economic status of African-Americans in the domestic and global economic system is considered with respect to the shrinking of the welfare state and the challenges of the post-cold war global economy.