Imari Obadele
Encyclopedia
Imari Obadele (May 2, 1930 – January 18, 2010) was a black separatist
, advocate for reparations
, and president of the Republic of New Afrika
.
Richard Henry was born in Philadelphia, and as a young man founded a civil rights organization there with his brother Milton. The two later moved to Detroit.
After the murder of Malcolm X
, they helped form the Malcolm X Society and, dissatisfied by the progress achieved by nonviolent approaches to civil rights movement
, came to embrace black separatism
.
Richard and Milton adopted the African names Imari and Gaidi Obadele in 1968, and with others, founded the Republic of New Afrika
. At the meeting founding the group, they formed a "government in exile". Obadele was designated the information minister, and soon published a pamphlet "War in America". The organization's stated aim was to carve Alabama
, Georgia, Louisiana
, Mississippi
, and South Carolina
out of the United States and given to black Americans.
The Republic of New Afrika also formed a paramilitary
unit, the Black Legion. In 1969, the unit was involved in a gun battle in Detroit that killed a police officer.
Imari split from his brother, who came to reject militancy, in 1970, and was also elected president of the Republic of New Afrika. Obadele and the group moved its headquarters to a house in Jackson, Mississippi
, despite failing to purchase an 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) plot.
Obadele was arrested and charged in the wake of a joint police / FBI
raid on the house in 1971. The raid culminated in a gunfight that killed an officer. It was later determined that Obadele was not a the scene, and murder charges against him were dropped. However, he was convicted of conspiracy to assault a federal agent and was sentenced to twelve years in prison (of which he served five). Amnesty International
described him as a political prisoner, and the group claimed that it had been targeted by the FBI because of its political views. FBI documentation that was later released confirmed that the agency was following the group. Internal FBI memos suggested that Obadele "be kept off the streets" and that he was one of the country's "most violence-prone black extremists".
After prison, Obadele went on to earn a PhD in political science
from Temple University
.
Black separatism
Black separatism is a movement to create separate institutions for people of African descent in societies historically dominated by whites, particularly in the United States. Black separatists also often seek a separate homeland...
, advocate for reparations
Reparations for slavery
Reparations for slavery is a proposal that some type of compensation should be provided to the descendants of enslaved people in the United States, in consideration of the coerced and uncompensated labor their ancestors performed over several centuries...
, and president of the Republic of New Afrika
Republic of New Afrika
The Republic of New Afrika , was a social movement that proposed three objectives. First, the creation of an independent African-American-majority country situated in the southeastern United States. A similar claim is made for all the black-majority counties and cities throughout the United States...
.
Richard Henry was born in Philadelphia, and as a young man founded a civil rights organization there with his brother Milton. The two later moved to Detroit.
After the murder of Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, they helped form the Malcolm X Society and, dissatisfied by the progress achieved by nonviolent approaches to civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
, came to embrace black separatism
Black separatism
Black separatism is a movement to create separate institutions for people of African descent in societies historically dominated by whites, particularly in the United States. Black separatists also often seek a separate homeland...
.
Richard and Milton adopted the African names Imari and Gaidi Obadele in 1968, and with others, founded the Republic of New Afrika
Republic of New Afrika
The Republic of New Afrika , was a social movement that proposed three objectives. First, the creation of an independent African-American-majority country situated in the southeastern United States. A similar claim is made for all the black-majority counties and cities throughout the United States...
. At the meeting founding the group, they formed a "government in exile". Obadele was designated the information minister, and soon published a pamphlet "War in America". The organization's stated aim was to carve Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Georgia, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
out of the United States and given to black Americans.
The Republic of New Afrika also formed a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
unit, the Black Legion. In 1969, the unit was involved in a gun battle in Detroit that killed a police officer.
Imari split from his brother, who came to reject militancy, in 1970, and was also elected president of the Republic of New Afrika. Obadele and the group moved its headquarters to a house in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, despite failing to purchase an 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) plot.
Obadele was arrested and charged in the wake of a joint police / FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
raid on the house in 1971. The raid culminated in a gunfight that killed an officer. It was later determined that Obadele was not a the scene, and murder charges against him were dropped. However, he was convicted of conspiracy to assault a federal agent and was sentenced to twelve years in prison (of which he served five). Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
described him as a political prisoner, and the group claimed that it had been targeted by the FBI because of its political views. FBI documentation that was later released confirmed that the agency was following the group. Internal FBI memos suggested that Obadele "be kept off the streets" and that he was one of the country's "most violence-prone black extremists".
After prison, Obadele went on to earn a PhD in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
.