7 - Birth of a Black Nation

Summary

To examine what repression and dynamics within challenging organizations contribute to the demise of social movement organizations (i.e., demobilization), one has to identify and monitor the individuals, ideas, institutions, and interventions of the relevant SMO over time as they are subject to varying levels of repressive behavior and internal dynamics. Additionally, one must also identify and monitor the efforts undertaken by the dissidents to sustain individuals, ideas, institutions, and interventions, despite the efforts authorities undertake to undermine them.

As will be seen, the founding of the Republic of New Africa set in place many elements that would both help and hinder the organization in the future. Clearly the beginning phase was a difficult period for the group of black nationalists that joined the new organization. The RNA was attempting to create a government essentially from scratch (e.g., obtaining members, identifying supporters, drafting documents, laying out the structure, and assigning activities to different sectors of the organization) as well as inform the public of what was going on through a variety of strategies (e.g., press conferences, articles, and rallies). Unfortunately, the results of all these efforts were limited as members and the resources they brought with them barely trickled in.