Carmichael, Stokely

Stokely Carmichael was one of the foremost black power activists of the 1960s. Carmichael was a member of the southern-based Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Eventually, he succeeded John Lewis in becoming chairman of the organization. During his time as chairman, he became a very popular figure of the movement and helped to coin the term “black power.” Although Carmichael had no direct connection with the Milwaukee movement, many local activists admired him and his courage, even though many didn’t agree with his ideology regarding the role of whites in the movement. Carmichael later moved to Africa and eventually changed his name to Kwame Ture in honor of Ghanian president Kwame Nkrumah and Guinean prime minister Ahmed Sekou Toure. Carmichael died of cancer in 1998. EM