Lieux et formes de pouvoir

Well, I’m going to talk about the notion « Locations and Forms of power ». Then, to explain this notion I would like to give you a definition. To begin with, power is a strength exerted or capable of being exerted, power is synonym of might but it's also the ability to exercise control.

There are different forms of power: art power, financial power, the power of the words… More specifically, let's talk about art power: a weapon to achieve recognition of African-Americans.

It's on this last example that I will ask me: “Art or words as weapons: to what extent were they efficient tools that helped outstanding people black recognition in the USA and change the course of history?”

The first document is the speech of Malcom X extract from the movie “Malcolm X”. I can hear praying at the very beginning, so I can deduce this speech may take place in a Mosque (he converted from Christianity to Islam).

Malcolm X is talking to African American audience. This speech looks like a terrible accusation against white people. We can notice the repetition of “I charge”. He’s talking about black slave trade and about the Afro-Americans’ origins. They didn’t land in Plymouth Rock. They were brought to America against their will to become slave not American citizen. Malcolm X insists on the fact that although slavery was abolished one hundred years ago, black people still denied basic rights such as voting. They are still confronted with racism, unfriendliness, hostility. Malcolm X’s tone of voice is harsh and determined, he wants them to rebel. He supports more aggressive means of protest than Martin Luther King.

...