American Black Nationalism

The Martin R. Delany is known as the father ofas it is compared to the USA state system. The
American black Nationalism and his novel “Blakeauthor also studies such social subjects as the
or the huts of America” is actually his onlyrace, class, and gender through the relations
literature work. Besides he wrote articles on thebetween Henry and other characters. Another
social position of African Americans in the USA,discipline that is connected with this novel is
and the parts of “Blake” were also publishedhistory because in “Blake or the huts of
in the newspaper that is why the novel is muchAmerica” the deep intrinsic historical analysis of
influenced by these forms. It has a great valuethe American culture and the place of the black
for the historical study because it reflects thepopulation in it is given and it makes this work
actual problems and ideas of the time it wasindispensable for the American literature and
written in.history. At this book mane historical lessons can
Martin Delany was the representative of thebe learnt.
separatist philosophy in the American history andThe work “Blake or the huts of America”
it is reflected in his novel “Blake or the huts ofhas also the personal influences because it was
America” (Dr. Martin Delany: From Black History.created by Martin Delany as the reply to the
Conrad Worrill).This is his central thesis which isbook “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet
rendered through the main character and theBeecher Stowe, Delany considered this work
development of the plot. The main character, theinsufficient of giving the right ideas about the
West Indian man, who was kidnapped to Americaposition of the African Americans and that is why
and sold there as a slave, travels through thehe started writing “Blake”. In his novel Delany
South of The USA and gets to Cuba where thegives critical answer and opposite point of view to
rebellion is planned and this form is alsothe same subject that was given in the
transcended to the American idea of blackStowe’s work (2,43).
population position in the American society. ThusThere is the song that proves the above given
he starts planning the slave insurrection in theideas, it is from the chapter “The Attack,
USA. This is the main idea that Delany conveys inResistance, Arrest”:
his novel.I’m on my way to Canada
The methods that Martin R.Delany used in hisThat cold and dreary land:
novel are methods of political and social analysis.The dire effects of slavery,
The author studies the political and social issues ofI can no longer stand.
1850s — slavery as institution, practicalityMy soul is vexed within me so,
of militant slave revolution, possibility of collectiveTo think that I’m a slave,
action. Delany was active politician and his worksI’ve now resolved to strike the blow,
reflect this. Very interesting is also the form ofFor freedom or the grave.
traveling that he chose for his novel — itThe conclusion of the work is given through the
was often used by many authors in order to givescenes where Henry meets the Cuban abolitionist
the reader the broad picture of the society andpoet Gabriel known as Placido who inspires the
country situation of the given time. Thus Delanypeople to the rebellion by his poems. This
through one character’s traveling shows uscharacter can be viewed as the role model for all
the whole American society of 1850s. This is athe black writers who are to give the real picture
very difficult literature method which Delany usedof their folk’s situation and must inspire the
very genuine.people to the changes. The broader conclusion is
Martin Delany defines the problem very explicit into be found in the outcome of the Cuban
the main character Henry and the problem is therevolution and its gaining independence. This
position of African Americans in the society ofCuba’s model of self-governed black state
the USA of 1850s. His sympathies are at the sideMartin Delany applied for the USA and the African
of the oppressed black population and it can bepopulation in it. His ideas were to immigrate back
noticed through the description of the mainto Africa or to build independent social system for
character Henry and other black people in theAfricans inside of American state. This conclusion
novel. The main author’s antagonism isimportant for social and political life of the black
directed against the role of Christianity in the blackpopulation is given implicitly, without direct call to
society that proposed the oppressed people tothe revolution but with the clear challenge to act
stay humble and obedient, whereas Delanyand fight for the rights of the folk. It must have
challenged the black population to stand up forproduced the great effect in the social and political
their rights and to fight for them with guns whenlife of 1850s in America.
necessary, he hold to just different point of viewI cannot say that I agree with this conclusion
- active opposition instead of passive submission,though I am for the equal rights for all the social
and he saw the source of this ideology ingroups, for different races, classes and genders
Christianity.— here my opinions coincide with the ones
The influence of other disciplines are to be foundof Martin Delany. However I am for other ways
in the novel “Blake or the huts of America” -of changing the social and political situation, I do
first, in the chosen subject, second in the analysisnot agree that the social revolution can change
the author gives in the direct and indirect way bythe folk’s to best, that was sadly proved
describing the characters and the events of theby the example of the Soviet revolution in Russia
plot. In the novel there is the influence of suchin the early 19th century. My opinion is that the
disciplines as politics study and sociology. Martinchanges in society come when there are changes
Delany meditates on the different forms ofin the people’s attitudes. So my point of
political state organization and their possibility forview is not for revolution as one of Martin
the USA. This is where the description of theR.Delany, but for evolution, and particularly
Cuban model of self-governed state is importantevolution in the social thoughts and attitudes.