Echoes of Warning: Manning Johnson, Malcolm X, and the Political Manipulation of Black America
Manning Johnson's final address provides a powerful critique of how Marxists and Communists have historically manipulated racial tensions in America, particularly by co-opting African American leaders and organizations like the NAACP. Johnson, who once belonged to the Communist Party before renouncing it, warned that these groups were using African Americans as pawns in a broader strategy to destabilize the country and advance communist goals.
He criticized the NAACP for focusing more on racial agitation than on building up the black community through tangible efforts like creating businesses, schools, and hospitals. According to Johnson, this strategy was not about helping African Americans achieve real progress, but rather about keeping them in a perpetual state of dependency and unrest. He pointed out that the NAACP, rather than investing in black neighborhoods, often spent its resources elsewhere, showing little interest in truly uplifting the community it claimed to represent. Johnson believed that this approach fostered resentment, division, and ultimately served the interests of those who sought to exploit the African American community for ideological gains.
Malcolm X, though different in many ways from Johnson, expressed similar sentiments about the dangers of political manipulation. He famously condemned African Americans who blindly supported the Democratic Party, calling them "political chumps" and "traitors to their race." Malcolm X argued that the Democratic Party took black voters for granted, offering little in return for their loyalty except empty promises and continued subjugation. He warned that African Americans were being used as pawns by white liberals, who were more interested in maintaining their own power than in genuinely helping black people achieve equality and independence.
Both Johnson and Malcolm X highlighted a critical issue: the exploitation of African Americans by those who claimed to be their allies. They both saw the risk in aligning with political forces that, under the guise of promoting civil rights, were more interested in advancing their own agendas than in genuinely uplifting the black community. Johnson focused on the infiltration of communist ideology into civil rights movements, while Malcolm X targeted the manipulation by white liberals within the Democratic Party.
Today, their warnings resonate as we see continued debates over the political loyalty of African Americans to the Democratic Party. Many argue that the party has been increasingly influenced by Marxist and socialist ideas, which often prioritize identity politics and government dependency over self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and true empowerment. The questions raised by Johnson and Malcolm X are still relevant: Are African Americans being used by political forces that do not have their best interests at heart? Are the leaders and organizations claiming to represent black interests truly working towards progress, or are they perpetuating a cycle of dependency and division?
In light of these reflections, Johnson's and Malcolm X's messages challenge African Americans today to critically evaluate their political affiliations and to consider whether these alignments are truly serving the long-term interests of their community. Their words serve as a reminder of the importance of self-determination and the dangers of being manipulated by those who seek to use racial issues for their own gain.
Sources:
Manning Johnson’s Farewell Address
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruP-WVgfkMM
When blacks voted 80 percent Dem, Malcolm X called them ‘chumps’
https://www.dailytribune.com/2014/03/13/when-blacks-voted-80-percent-dem-malcolm-x-called-them-chumps/
