Carl Darnell
Book Review – We Who Are Dark
Tommie Shelby’s We Who Are Dark: The Philosophical Foundations of Black Solidarity (2005) is a thorough academic work that explores the challenges, and advances possible solutions, for coalesquing around the concept of “blackness.” In the tradition of many books in the field of Black Studies, Shelby begins the book by offering a survey of black history in America. Historical anecdotes, results of empirical research in the field, and quotes from recognizable figures in black philosophy are used to buttress Shelby’s argument. This includes his definitons and explanations of black solidarity. The book provides both the beginner and more seasoned student of history with an analysis of ideas generated from black literature, speeches, and the everyday experience of black people, that has contributed to shaping black thought. In We Who Are Dark: The Philosophical Foundations of Black Solidarity, Tommie Shelby successfully offers a scholarly perspective of the origin of black nationalism, as a well as a comparative analysis of the philosophies espoused by black leaders, such as Malcolm X, Martin Delany, and Marcus Garvey, about a range of issues that impact black unity. After addressing Black Liberation ideology, introducing and deconstructing the publicized descriptions of the Black Power mentality, and dealing with plurarilty within race, Shelby ultimately addresses the conflicts that arise from the popular call for the adoption of a single approach to reaching black solidarity.
In the beginning chapter, Shelby offers his definition of Black Nationalism, as a “major component of black political thought that consists of black self-determination, voluntary racial separation, and collective resistance to white supremacy.” In this context, the author presents nineteenth century philosopher, Martin Delany (1812-1885), a seldom celebrated figure of black history, as the father of Black Nationalism. The Black Nationalist theory presented in Delany’s early works, according to Shelby, lays many of the foundations for current-day perceptions of black solidarity and the commonly shared concept of blackness.
Shebly allows the reader to connect with the theories in We Who Are Dark more directly by referencing well known black leaders and citing books frequently referenced in black political discourse. The political philosophy of Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey in Shelby’s treatment of Black Nationalist theory made the book more palatable for even the most novice student of Black politics and Africana Studies. Moreover, the analysis of figures such as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois allowed for common connections to be made, but also presented a different view of the men and one of the most regularly referenced philosophical debates in the field of black higher education.
The Washington-DuBois debate over industrial versus liberal arts education was introduced in We Who Are Dark less as a conflict about educational curricula, but instead as clashing philosophies about the best path toward black class- and social mobility. Shelby presents DuBois as a mastermind of Black progress by moving from shame to pride and as the model Black Nationalist, while simultaneously offering the ideas of Washington as shame altogether.
Though he grants every black philosopher and race leader with an even, unbiased treatment in the book, the author diverts from this balanced approach in his discussion of Booker T. Washington. While positing Washington as an accomodationist, Shelby offers less than a page to his thoughts on black self-determination, improving the economic status of the black community, and racial uplift. DuBois’s opinions on raising Black pride and resisting the factors of racial oppression, on the other hand, are expressed throughout the entirety of one the book’s lengthiest chapters.
Among the norms and components of the major concepts undergirding abolitionists, educators, and race men’s philosophies of black solidarity, the specific responsibilities of black leaders are listed. Appropriately, he draws his charge to black leaders from DuBois’s ideas. This is due to the fact that DuBois, a well published scholar on race leadership, was person responsible for assembling known race leaders to in the Niagra Movement of the early twentieth century and is equally well-known for his theory that the “talented tenth” of black people should serve as the leaders of the race.
The book subscribes to DuBois’ ideas about black leaders. As such, We Who Are Dark advocates that Black leaders should publicly oppose discrimination and call for the government to ensure equality and fair treatment for all. Similar to DuBois, Shelby argues that black leaders should first understand the mission and values of those they represent, second, lay out a plan to achieve group goals, and defend the group’s ideals.
A total of three responsibilities along with five essential leaderships characteristic traits of effective black leaders are drawn from DuBois’s writings to serve as criteria for any member of the “New Negro” elite class who desires to assume the role of leader. Shelby is careful to identify the view of leadership by the elites as being in direct opposition to Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X’s positions of the common man leading from within the ranks of the common, working class black community.
Taking the book holistically, Shelby’s presentation of the Booker T. Washington’s philosophy is the only issue of noticeable inconsistency. While Garvey’s plan to create a new nation altogether in Africa is presented as philosophy with clear consequences, the rhetoric in Washington’s speeches are handled as poisonous to progressive racial uplift. The book features little support for Washington’s Black Nationalist charge, while fully highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of DuBois’s vision for group solidarity and leadership.
Beyond Shelby’s emphasis on prominent leaders of the Black political thought, he also introduces norms and major tenets of black community, solidarity, and Black Nationalism. On group solidarity, Shelby’s robust definition of solidarity as “identification with the group, special concern, shared values and goals, loyalty, and mutual trust.” Similarly, he argues that “vigor” is a major facet of strong Black nationalism. Shelby presents vigor in place of the more gender specific idea of manliness, a patriarical term prevelant in Delany’s writings on black nationalism. Vigor is identified in the reading as collective values of autonomous thinking or independence of mind, creativity, self-confidence, ambition and drive, courage, self-respect/ self-efficacy, determination, and self-reliance.
Besides providing detailed lists of the major ideas that build up to Shelby’s proposed best approach to acheiving black solidarity, the book offers a fresh look at Black Power Nationalism. Though frequently presented as a nuissance and overall retardent of United States progress, Shelby illuminates the influence of Malcolm X on the Black Power movement and its emergence as a widely accepted philosophy to refute institutional racism while developing black autonomy. The views of Stokley Carmichael and Charles Hamilton are outlined allow the reader to understand a more academic and philosophical view what Black Power meant for the black unity in the 1960s and 1970s. Early on in the discussion of the values and qualities of the concept as a significant pillar of mid- to late-20th century black political thought Shelby assures the reader that the book is not advocating the adoption of Black Power philosophy for current day attempts to develop black solidarity, but instead offers a more contemporary approach that embodies tenents from multiple ideologies presented in the book, including Black Nationalism, the Black Power movement, and DuBois’ talented-tenth approach.
Throughout We Who Are Dark, Tommie Shelby provides a holistic view of black solidarity and its development by generation from the mid-1800s up to the 21st century. The strength of the book lies in its introduction to the beginning of black solidarity as Black Nationalism, coverage and comparison major black philosophers’ ideas, the listing of significant concepts that led to periods of black unity and racial uplift, an the balanced presentation of the historical approaches to black unity and togetherness. It could prove useful to the avid reader in search of an informative and thoughtful book, and especially to college students interested in black studies, and philosophy. Though an academic book, We Who Are Dark is not structured as a textbook; instead, Shelby’s work could be an introduction book or discussion text for any group that identifies with the black community.
Reference
Shelby, T. (2005). We who are dark: The philosophical foundations of black solidarity. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press: Cambrige, Massachusetts.