Congress of African Peoples

The Congress of African Peoples (CAP) was first convened in Atlanta, Georgia, in September of 1970. Organized primarily by CAP cochairs Hayward Henry and Amiri Baraka, its stated objective was to formulate a methodology that would unite the various theoretical persuasions within the pan-Africanist movement. This first CAP was attended by more than 2,700 delegates representing 220 national and international organizations. During the 4-day founding session of the congress, 11 workshops were conducted, which covered political liberation, education, history, social organization, religious systems, communications, law and justice, black technology, creativity, economics, and community organization.

Participants represented a wide range of ideological and political positions, from those who promulgated integrating into the American governmental system to those who supported the revolutionary overthrow of the U.S. government. All the constituencies united around the theme “unity without uniformity,” which the CAP had adopted as its slogan and which captured the sentiment that the various factions within the black freedom movement could work together without compromising or surrendering their autonomy. At that time, the prevailing ideological position within the CAP, which was also held by key movement organizers, was cultural nationalism, the belief that African Americans must reclaim African culture [Page 192]and develop African consciousness to wage a successful struggle for political power.

At the outset, the CAP expressed its ideology as pan-African nationalism, which is the global expression of black nationalism, and stressed institution building. It sought to operationalize the term black power, and in doing so identified its four constituent tenets: self-defense, self-sufficiency, self-determination, and self-respect. Work councils were created within the 11 workshops and charged with the task of creating programs that could concretize the CAP ideology. Professionals and specialists presented resource papers, and resolutions were passed in each workshop based on the information given. In the area of education, it was resolved that Black Studies scholars would initiate a process linking independent black institutions, Black Studies programs, and educational programs within black communities into a single unit titled the Comprehensive Black Educational System. In addition, resolutions were passed for the establishment of a worldwide black political party, which would seek to gain power both within and independent of electoral politics, and for the decentralization of U.S. law enforcement and creation of community security forces inside African American communities.

By 1971, 10 CAP chapters were operating in major cities around the United States. The CAP was a major force behind the historic National Black Political Convention held in March of 1972 in Gary, Indiana. In San Diego, California, in September of 1972, the CAP held its second national meeting. There was a decline in attendance of delegates, primarily as a result of the CAP's focus on building a separate, independent black political party in the months following the founding congress. Among those that withdrew support were the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Still, the CAP remained effective and continued to wield influence over the political landscape both inside and outside of African American communities.

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