In America we are witnessing a rise in nationalism, admittedly mainly from far right circles. This form of nationalism throws off the traditionalist yoke of 20th century nationalism, turning aside the pamphlet and the flyer, while embracing the internet. The dense city landscape of 20th century nationalist has been replaced by the population rich environment of the internet. In turn democratizing nationalism. The inexpensive easily accessible nature of the internet allows the disenfranchised a platform, no matter their views, Black Lives Matter and the alt right alike.

Over the course of 2020 America has gone through an awakening. Social inequality, a fire kindled by the Black community has been shepherded into the burning ire and platform of a party. We are witnessing mass mobilization for the rights of blacks and people of color across the nation. This is good but it is meaningless if we do not know who we are. The question that remains is what makes the black people? How can we be the same when we come from different places, grew up with different experiences, different relationships?

This question has come about in each major era of Black thought. WEB Du Bois, the founder of the NAACP and the author of this newspaper’s name sake, quantifies it to the idea of “double consciousness” He writes in the Strivings of the Negro People, an article for the Atlantic, “It dawned upon me with a certain suddenness that I was different from the others; or like, mayhap, in heart and life and longing, but shut out from their world by a vast veil.” Here he quantifies his blackness by his distinct otherness. Later Revolutionaries and black nationalists in the black power movement Identified their blackness on the prejudices experienced in basic life, both systemic and interpersonal. The evolution of thinking within the Black conscientious closely mirrors that of early day zionist. Although the black people of America never nationalized and became a country, the hopes of Marcus Garvey, the writings of prominent zionist figures offer a worth while point of view on what makes a people.

The early ideas of political zionism germinated the long planted seed of persecution in the Jewish people across Europe. From the pogroms and racial cleansings of Eastern Europe to the second class citizenship in central Europe to the pseudo assimilation in Britain, the Jews were hardly one people. Hardly unified in faith the only shared characteristic across the group was a shared lineage tracing back to a far off land they had left thousands of years ago. A situation that seems to mirror the current state of black people in America.

During this time two parties emerged in zionism, political zionist and cultural zionist, each with different thoughts on what makes a people or a nation of people. Political zionist believed in a state with borders a homeland, while cultural zionist, still interested in a state, were more focused on the roll of the state as spiritual center of the Jewish people. Theodore Herzl a journalist and major thought leader of the political zionist believed a people are “A historical group of men of a recognizable cohesion held together by a common enemy.” Although generally true, by this line of thinking, if there is no enemy there is no people or nation. To this he responds “There is no shortage of anti-semites.” As a black person in America I am partial to this thought. There is no shortage of racists in America or around the world that would make the Blacks as a people cease to exist. However, I lean more to the side of Ahad Ha'am, a leader of cultural zionist thought. Ha'am asserts that “A movement has to stand for something not just against something... Drawn towards something positive versus running away from the darkness.” Although not a clear nor perfect definition of a people this encapsulates what the modern day Black should strive for in a people and in a movement.

At its core this paper is about bringing the movement and black people towards something positive. Pull us away from the darkness shown on the TV, the murders, the riots, the pain and show us the success, the power and community of the American Black.

Enjoy Volume I,

Andrew Hampton

Editor and Founder of the Talented Tenth