"The dependence of the Black movement on leaders and leadership (especially the Black bourgeoisie) has led us into a political dead end. We are expected to wait and suffer quietly until the next messianic leader asserts himself, as if he or she were "divinely missioned" (as some have claimed to be). What is even more harmful is that many Black people have adopted a slavish psychology of "obeying and serving our leaders," without considering what they themselves are capable of doing. Thus, rather than trying to analyze the current situation and carrying on Brother Malcolm X's work in the community, they prefer to bemoan the brutal facts, for year after year, of how he was taken away from us. Some mistakenly refer to this as a "leadership vacuum." The fact is there has not been much movement in the Black revolutionary movement since his assassination and the virtual destruction of groups like the Black Panther Party. We have been stagnated by middle class reformism and misunderstanding. We need to come up with new ideas and revolutionary formations in how to fight our enemies. We need a new mass protest movement. It is up to the Black masses to build it, not leaders or political parties. They cannot save us. We can only save ourselves."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Non-fiction authors from the United StatesAnarcho-communistsBlack Panther Party membersAfrican American communistsAfrican American anarchists
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Imported from EN Wikiquote
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Kom'boa_Ervin
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Unknown
35329 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Unknown →
Related Quotes
"“Kahit matabang-mataba ka pa ay okay lang, basta siguraduhin mo na ang pinangkakain mo ay hindi galing sa pinaghirapa…"
""Education is very important"."
"" Kung hindi kaya ng mga magulang mo itaguyad ang pag-aaral mo, kung walang pera ang pamilya mo, pwede mong gamitin a…"
""Women are not immortal. We age. We wrinkle. We die."Daily Monitor, Friday, July 04, 2025"
"Women are present in the workplace in significant numbers, yet presence alone does not always translate into equal op…"
"Budgets are not simply ledgers of income and expenditure."
"Leaders must create an environment where merit is recognised, trust is built, and every employee feels valued."
"These attacks follow a familiar playbook-discredit the messenger to dismiss the message" - Gabriella calls out 'attac…"
""Aktibista ang GABRIELA at kami ay galit sa mga bastos at manyak na trapo!" - Clarise Palce GABRIELA Secretary-Genera…"
"That's the thing about a great book...you're different."