Expressions of unity and solidarity by a people in their struggle for self-determination are fundamental components of nationalism. Obviously such expressions assume different forms, depending upon a variety of circumstances. In the case of people of African descent in the United States, these expressions have varied widely over a period of more than four centuries. The extraordinary degree of unity prevailing in the contemporary black community, while unique in many ways, nonetheless stems from a history of more than 400 years of struggle (see Chapter 2).

It is perhaps in the period of the 1960s and 1970s, however, that nationalism, manifested in the form of unity and black solidarity, has made its greatest impact on the black community. While there is no single organization comparable in size and scope to Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association, which reached its peak membership and influence in the 1920s, elements of black nationalism have penetrated the entire black community; few families or individuals have escaped its influence. Furthermore, expressions of black nationalism cut across age, educational, and regional lines.

Because of the dearth of empirical evidence on individual expressions of nationalism in the black community, the concern here is primarily with the impact of collective manifestations, although it is not limited to those. Even within this limited scope, the propositions put forth are largely speculative, and it is frequently difficult to distinguish between those groups I have loosely defined as nationalist and those that are essentially integrationist in approach. Therefore, I have limited the discussion to those groups that expressly promote black unity and solidarity.