Which leader popularized the phrase Black Power in the 1960s?

• A. Malcolm X
• B. Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture)
• C. Martin Luther King Jr.
• D. Huey P. Newton

Answer: (B)

Black Power centers on Black self-determination, pride in Black identity, and the idea that Black communities should build political and economic power from within. Stokely Carmichael, who led the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s, popularized the phrase through speeches and writings that framed the movement around empowering Black people to control their own communities. His emphasis shifted the conversation from simply seeking integration to demanding real power—policymaking, resources, and leadership within Black communities—which is why his role in making the term widely known is key. While Malcolm X helped shape ideas of Black pride and self-reliance, and Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party advanced the practical side of Black Power, Carmichael’s public use and national prominence during that era made the phrase a recognizable rallying cry.