Die Nigger Die!: A Political Autobiography of Jamil Abdullah al-Amin

130 Pages·2002·1.16 MB·English

by  H. Rap Brown (Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin)

Introduction
Racissmy stematviecrialfileiyst sewlhfe nt hes lavcea no nly
breafkt ebey i mitattihnemg a stebry:c ontradihcitosiw nng
real0i ty.
Whena Blacmka nl ooaktsB lacpke opwliet hB laa ck
minadn dB lacsko uilti, si mmediaatpeplayr tehnatBt l ack
peopploes sceesrst uaniinq cuhea ractewrhiiscnthoi tc so nly
distintghueifmsr ho wmh itaensdn egroebsu,tw hichha ve
greatly conttrhisebu urtveiodvfB a llta oc Wkhsi.t reesc og­
nizteh iasn d haavlew aayst tempttoee dr adictahtees e
characteorri sdtiiscctsrh eedmIi.nit n stawnhceerste h ey
havseu cceendeegdr,ho aevsbe e ecnr eated.
Negroheasv ael wabyese cnl oaslel oifew sh itients r ying
toe liminBaltaec k restious ntdaensciera acbcluel tu.r ation
Negroseespe o oarn du ninstitutBiloancaaklssi zneidg gers.
Thefiyn di tn ecesstao ryp rowvhei ttteohs a tth eayr neo t
niggefrasi,lt ion gr ealiwzhei tseteshae al Btll acpke opalse
niggenrom sa,t theorwr icohrh owp oor.
SomBel acks tporb eec faelrln eedg robeesc autsheel yi ke
tod istintghueimsshe flrvoeomst hBerl acTkhse.fy e atrh at
ift hecya lltehde mselves thBelmyai cgkhsat,n tagonize
whit.eA sndi ft heayn tagonwihzietdeth se,yw oulldo se
o Thisq uotwea st akefnr oma na rticlwer ittbeyn J ohnO 'Neaeln titled
"Motioni nt heO ceani,"nB lack TheatDerra,m aR eviewV,o l1.2 ,N o.4.
thepiors itaiso nn egroes-the whoivteer-saoepfep rosi nted
Blac.Tk hsus, nheagvraeol ewsa tyrsi teoda iadn di mpress
whitbeyse liminBaltaikncnegs sN.e grokneosw thawth ites
prefienrs titutiBolnaaclikis.z,eBe .ld,a cwkhso g ivteh eir
allegitaown hciet ceu ltuproalli,t sioccaialan,ld e conomic
instintsuN.to ino-instituBtliaocnakarsdle ii ffizceutdl oct o n­
troble,c autshee ailrl egiatnoBc le aciaksns dn ott ow hite
instit.uI ttii sno engsrowehsos traitnos entdh ecihri ldren
tow hitsec hosoolt sh atth nei ggientr h emma yb ek illaendd
theym ayt herebbeyc ombee ttienrs titutionalized.
Anya ctioorbn e havwihoitc ihsn ote ndorbsyew dh ites,
negroceosn si"daecrt ian ngi ggeWrh.a"tw as" actian g
niggtewro"y ears isa gona ocwc epatse" ds of.u"N aturally,
this ewnadso rsbeydw hites bbeefionargce c eptbeyd
negroTehsec. o nversiannt eigoranom erihcaaas l wabyese n,
"What waer geo intgo daob out them niggers?" never,
"What waegr oei ntog adboo utth ewmh ite fNoelgkrso?e"s
alwasyasi "dN,i ggheorlsd iunsbg a ck"lN"i ggaeirnss' hti tl"
"Dong'ot arounda n aicgtgienrgl "
Negroseasy :
Nobodbyu nti ggceurrss eu sa"enp do Eorn glish."
Nobodbyun ti ggers steal.
Nobodbyun ti ggaerraesl walyosu d.
Nobodyn ibugtg erst otl hibesl tueens .
Nobodbyun ti ggbeurrsan n d loot.
Nobodbyun ti ggeearwtsa term.e lon
Id onc'atly olu n igg'ecra uysoeu 'mrien e,
Ic aylolun igg'ecra uysoeus hine.
While neagrrseoa eysit nhgia sb oupto oarn du ninstitu­
tionalBilzaecwdkh si,t seasty h iasb ouatlB ll acTkhsen. e gro,
beinugn abtloer ecognwihzoie st het rueen embye,c omes
ane nemoyfB lacNkesg.r operse f"elri vitnobg e"i nfgr ee.
Tob eB laicnkt hciosu ntisrt yob e nai ggTeorb .e nai gger
ist or esbiosttwh h ite naengdrd oe atIhti. s t ob ef reien
spiriifnt o,tb ody.i stI htes pirofir te sistanchea sw hich
prepaBrleadc fkso r utlhtei msatrtueg gTlhei.ws o rd«,n ig_
gerw,h"i cihst aboionn egraon dw hitaem eribceac,o mes
meaninignft uhlBe l accko mmuniAtmyo.nB gl aciktis sn ot
uncommtoonh eatrh e wo"rmdyns i,g ge(rda,d"r estsoae d
brothas earn e xpresosfik oinn shainpdb rotherahnodo d
respfeochrta virnegs i)so,tre " dHe's nai gbgaedmr ela,n"­
ingH,e 'll usptf aohnrid m seHlewf o.n 'ltey to ud ow.nH e'll
god ownw ityho u. WBhleanc ckasl nle gro"ens iggers,"
howevietrt, a koenst he negatoifwv heinteaesn sdn egro
usage.
Negroaensdw hitheasv wei shdeeda tthoa lBll actkosa ,l l
niggeTrhse.is re ntimies"n Dti Nei ggDeire l"-eibtyh er
becomiann egg roorb yi nstitutiooran catligivezene odc ide.
Blackknso wh,o wevtehra,nt o m attheorw m ucho rh ow
harnde groaensdw hitmeasy t ryu,l timaittwe illbeyl t he
negraon d ahlilswi heows i l"lD ye, didei!e,"
Americcaal ling.
negroes.
cayno ud·a nce?
plafyo ot/ba?s eball
nanny?
cook?
needneodw n.e groes
whoc an entertain
ONLY.
othenrost
wanted.
( a&rc eo nsideexrterde dmealnyg er)o us.
Don L. Lee
My firscto ntawcittw hh itaem erica
wasm arkbeydh er viofloewrnh ceen,
a whitdeo ctpourl lmeed f robme ­
tweemny m othelre'gassn ds lapped
myw eta sls,,a se veroyt hneerg rino
amerirceaa,c ttoet dh imsa n-inflicted
paiwni tah c ryA. cry athmaetr ica
hanse vearl lowteocd e asae ;ct rhya t
J getlso uder moarneid n tenwsiet h
agea;c rtyh acta no nlbyeh earadn d
undersbtyoo otdh ewrhsol ivbee hind
thceo lcourr taAi cnr.yO ?r w as it a
screaWmh?a teviwetar sw,ea ccepted
it.
Ih adb eebno rni n" ameritchael, a nodf t hef reeT.o"
insumryce o untfrrye'esd moymf ,a thwearss omewhere fight­
ingf,o r thiays e aworaft s h e sewcaortn ode nda lwla rs­
WorlWda rI IT.h iwsa sO ctob4e,1r 943 ,a ndv ictwoarsiny
thaei Trh.e w orlwdo ulndo wb es affeo r democracy.
But wwhoou lidn suref rmeye doWmh?ow oulmda ke
democrsaacfyfe o Brl ack peAompelreir?ce ac ognilzoendg
agow hante groneoswe xamiinned islbie:ee fverByl ack
biritnha meriicspa o litWiictaehla .c nhe wb irctohm eas
potencthiaalll etnotg heee x istoirndgeE ra.c nhe w genera­
tiobnr infgosr utnht esmtieldi taAnmceyr.i crau'lsic nlga ss
nowe xperiewnhcaetHs e romdu shta vaet t heb irtohf
"Chri"sGtoa" n:d s ear.c.ha .ndw heny e hafvoeu nhdi m,
brimnegw oradg ain,I m tahyca otm aen dw orshipa lhsiom. "
Ameridcoae sn't knoBwl acwbkhi irictshgh o intgob e the
birtthhaw ti lolv erthtrhoicwso untry.
Thet hretaoat m erica, hdoowenesov tee xri,is ntn egro
amer,ib cuatr aethra sa resuolfnt e graom eriIcfao .n e
examitnheess t rucotfut rheic so untry hcelw oilslne oltye
thatth earrete h rbeaes ciact egotrhieeaysr w:eh itaem erica,
1
negra\)m eriacnadB, l ack amTehreti hcraet.ao tt h eex isting
strucctoumrees Bflraocmak m eriwchai,ce hx isitncs o ntra­
dicttioob no twhh itaen dn egraom eriIctia st. h eev olution
oft hesceo ntraditchtahitao sng si verni steot hep resent
revoluticoonnadriyt Rieovnosl.u itsii onnd eiende vitable,
anda,s t hec yclofec hancgel osaerso uanmde rircaac'iss t
environtmheiens ts,u ceo lobofer c ommeosr pee rtinent.
Coloirst hefi rstth inBgl acpke opilnea merica become
awaroef Y.o ua reb orinn tao w orltdh ahta sg ivecno lor
meanianngd c olobre comtehses ingmloes dte termining
factoofyr o uerx isteCnocleod.re termwihneersye o ul ive,
howy oul ive uannddec,re rtcaiirnc umstiafyn ocuwe isl,l
livCeo.l odre termyionuefrsre indsy,o uerd ucation, your
mothearn'dfs a thejro'bwssh ,e ryeo up lawyh,a yto u play
andm,o riem portawnhtalytyo ,ut hionfky ourself.
Ina ndo fi tsceollfho,ar ns o m eaniBnugtt. h weh itweo rld
hasg iveintm eaning-polsioctiieacclao,ln ,o mhiics,t orical,
physiolaongdip chaill oso.p hOincccaoell hoarsb e egni ven
meanianngo ,r deirst hereebsyt abliIsfyh oeuad r.eb orn
Blacikna meriycoaua, r teh e latshtao tro dfeA rsk. i dwse
leartnhefedo rmultah seft orru cotfau mreer iscoacni ety:
Ify ou'wrhei te,
You'arlreli ght.
Ify ou'brreo wn,
Stiacrko und.
Butiy fo u're black,
Getba cgke,bt a ck.
Becauosfte h iem portaasnscieg tnoce odl onre,g rocehso ose
onlyl etgoi timtawtoai mzeer icas:a ndwn heigtrWeoh .e n
onee xamitnhewesa yi nw hicthh etsweoa meriacrasest ruc­
tureidti, so bviotuhsat th es imilabreittwieeteshn e amr e
greattheartn h dei ffereTnhceed si.ff ereenxcioesnstl yt hien
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external coofne traoclah n dt heir internawlh iocrhid,n e r,
tum,c reatvael ue contraIdnio ctthieowrno sr.d sw,h ites
control whbiottaehm eriacnad n egraom erifcoart heb ene­
fito fw hit.eA sndb ecauosfet hiksi nodf e xtercnoanlt rboyl
whitienst heoiwrn s elf-innteergersote,s swtrhuoc tutrhee ir
communitaifetset rh osoef w hiteasr ef orcetdo e nforce
valuoefsw hit.eT sheya ttemtpote xplaaiwna yt heilrac okf
control by sayinagr ejt uhs.atmt e mtbheeoryfst hel arger
communiotf"y a meric.a"n s
A monologiuspe e rpetueaxlployu ndbeydw hitaem erica
whicihse choebdyn egroeasffl ictweidt whh itpea triisomt.
whitaem erica:
Thinwkh itoer I'll kill you.
Andif y ou thtionwokh it1e1,k1 i ylolu .
negraom erica:
Think whiIt'ekill lloy ro u.
Andi f ytohui ntko ow hit"et hmea n"w ill ykoiu.l l
Sot hincko lodr.e
Imitate the white man,
butn ott op erfecitnif orno notfh im.
AsJ uliMaonr easua yisn h inso veBll,a cCko mmandos:
Attitundeecse ssfaorsryu rviwvearlve i goropuosulnyd ed
into the wooolfyb lhaecbakod yssa ndg irblyst heir
lovimnogt hresT.h eb oysw erer earetdob eN egroes,
notm en.A Negrmoi ghstu rviav weh ilbeu,t a black
"mand"i dnl'itv vee rlyo ng.. .b laAc bko ya imintgo
.
reach "manhroaothde"tr h a"nN ergo-hoorda"r ely lived
that long.
For4 00 years the cionntterrnaadli catnidio nncso inssten­
cieosfw hitaem erihcaav bee en dweiatlthth rouight isn sti­
tuti.oI nnsr egatrodr acoer c olotrh,e sceo ntradichtaivoen s
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alwaybse eno na natinoenvaelar, loocrai ln divildueav.le l
Whiteassi ndividhuaavleasl waylso vetdob et hougohfta s
superior.h aTvheae lyw ayksn ownt haitft hecyo uld fjyu sti
andm aket heiarc tiolnesg aeli,t htehrr outghhe irre ligion,
theicro urotrst heihri sto(rdeyu catiosnyaslt )em,t hen it
woulbde u nnecesstaoar cyt uarlelcyt itfhye mb ecautshee
negro would acceipntt ertphreiertW ahtiitoen . america's
most diffipcruolbtl etmh ubse comehso wt oj usyt ainfdn ot
rectinfayt ioinnaclno siste.nI cfiw ehsitnea tionailsid sims ­
guiseas dh istoorryr eligitohne,n iisit r ruetfablWeh.i te
nationalism hidsitvoiirdnyet sto w o paBr.tCs.a, n dA .D.
­
befotrhee whmiatne'r se ligainodna f tiertA .n d" progsrse,"
ofc oursiesc, o nsidetrohe adv et akepnl acoen layf tetrh e
whitmea n'rse ligciaomne i ntboe inTgh. ei mplicaitsi on
evindteG:o di so nt hew hitmea n'ssi dfeo,r whJietseuw sa s
the" sono"fG od.
Whitaem erihcaasu serde ligainodnh istotroy its advan­
tageT.h ust,h eN ortnhe verre aldliyff erferdo mt heS outh
fort hey btoatuhg htth es ameh istoCrayt.h olniecvse dri f­
ferefdr oomt herre ligfiootrnh se tya ugfhrto tmh es amet ext.
Republicaarnens od ifferefnrto mD emocr,aa tssD emocrats
aren od ifferefnrto mD ixietcsrA.as f orl iberFaalnso,sn a ys
theya re" asmu cht hee nemyo fo pprseesdp eoplaen dF ree­
domas thes elf-avowed beecnaeumisytie, si mpossitbol eb e
both mae mbero ft heo pprescsloarsa sn da frieonfdt he
oppresseSdo.w "e cans eet hafto rw hitaem eritchae o nly
reaclo ntradictairoetn hso steh aatr ifsreo mt heT hirteenth,
FourteeanntdhF ifteeAnmtehn dmenotfsh erC onstitution.
Thesceo ntradicgtiivroein sste on egraom erica.
MostB lacpke rsoonfsm y timew ereb orni ntnoe gro
americTah.efi rstth inygo ul earinst hayto ua red ifferent
frowmh iteTsh.en extth inygo ul earinst hayto ua red ifferent
frome acho theYro.u a reb orni ntao worlodf d ouble
standawrhdesr ceo loirso fp aramount impoIrnyt oaunrc e.
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communictoyl poaar t teexrinws htisc ihsc losaekliytn ot he
whitmea n'asn,dl ikewriesien fofrrcoebmdo tehn dosf t he
spectrLuimg.h t-skniengnreobdee sl ietvheea yr es uperior
andd arkneegrr oeasl low ttoho epme raotnte h abte lief.
Becauosfet hew idec olorra ngweh icehx isitnns e gro
ameriacnai ,n tercnoallco orl ohnaysb eecnr eatDeadr.k
negroaerste a ugthhtat th eayr ien fernioootrn ltyow hites
butt ol ighter-nsekgirnonAeensddl. i ghter-nsekgirnoneesd
assumseu pae raitotri tude.
Negraom eriicssa e utp t hes amaes w hitaem eriTchae.
lighstkeirn naen de grtoh,em orsei gnifiac raonlhtee c an
pla(yt.Ih asa lwabyese tnh eo new hol ooked white who
madieit n n egarmoe riTchai.s twhamesa n wtihtpeho sition,
thien fluentcheiw,sa st hme anw hou suagloltty h ew hite
man'bse sjto )b .Ibne tweleing ht negraon da mBelraiccka
negraom eri(ncita e rmofsc ol)ot,rh eirsaes pecciaatle gory
ofp eopwlheo,a raes sigtnheneda meo fr endi ggeTrhse.s e
arteh pee opwlheo a rlei gehnto utgohg oi nto nleiggrhot
ameribcuatd, o n oth avcea ucascihaanr act.eT rhiesyt ics
donh'atv set raihgahiotrr w hitfee atuSroet sh.ec ya ng o
(!itwhaeydr,e pendoinnt gh emT.h ecya no peraitnBe l ack
negro amoerar tti hcoeau tferri nogfel isg nhetg raom erica.
Racper ejuidnia cmee ribceac omceosl porre juidnin ceeg ro
ameriTchaa.wt h icihsc ultuprraelj ubdyiw chei taegsa inst
Blacbkesc omcelsa psrse juidnin ceeg raom eriTcoad .i stin­
guitshhe mse,nl evgersoaesss icglnad siss tin.cH teirowene s
fintdh ien stitauntdsi unbgs titoufpt airnaglv lauelelsN .e ­
groaesss utmhea t wihsga oto d wfhoitrae m eriics� good
fonre graom erica.
Negroaersae lwacyosn finteod whcaatnb ec alltehde
"shrietg itm.eIn" fi rsbte camaec quainwtitethdh es hit
regimiennt th ec ubs couItnse .v erpya radwee, a lways
marchbeedh itnhde h orswehsi,c mhe antth awte always
hadt om arcihnh orseAslhtlih twe.a yt hroulgihtf hee arree
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shirte gimeinn tthsne egrco ommunaintdyn egroaedsh ere
tot hemA.sa m attoeffr a cnte,g roewsi lplr ottehcets e regi­
mentTsh.e d ebawtaes n evewrh ethoerrn ot hwaed t o
marcbhu,t wheotrnh eortt hew hitweesr geo intgop ut
machidnoewsnt hetroew asthh heo rseaswhaibyte fowree
marchienid t T.h erwea sn evearn yd iscusassti owo hne ther
orn otw es houmladr cbhe hitnhdhe orsUehs-.u h. Every­
bodayc cepttheadTt h.e jyu swta ntetdh heo rseshit washed
outo ft he wbaeyf owreec amet hrgohu. Whaimteer ica's
largesrte gsihmiietsnn etg raom erica.
Givetnh ante graoreaesc olonpiezoepdtl heme,o sitm por­
tanpth asoefc oloniziastt hiseou nb -culpthuarsIaennl. e gro
amerinceag,r oreesl aotnelt yon egrooefts h es ameed uca­
tionbaalc kgroDur�S.do .- andt-aSlookns l tyoD rS.o -and-So
andt he broontt hheebr l ocbke ttneorta clti kheet hinks
hec ang ou pt oD rS.o -anda-nSdto a ltko hmiamn -to-man.
ToD r.S o-andt-hSeo ,b roontt hheberl ociksn othibnugta
niggwehro 'hso lditnhger acbea ckD.r .S o-an-dSgoo etso
theE piscopal tChhePu rrecshb,y teriaCna tohro litch e
ChurcThh.eb rotohnet rh bel ogcoke tsot hBea ptCihsutr ch,
thHeo lRyo lloerrt shS ea nctiCfiheudr cAhn.d tMheet hod­
ist Chiusr bciehnt wetehnte w oI.ta ina'snt i ggearsit shhe
BaptCihsutr ch,i t'n'bosut t h aisg chl aassst heE piscopal
ChurcAhs.n egrobeesc ommeo re" white-eductahtee d,"
transiitnri eolni giboeng iAnlslo. f a suddeint,b' esn eath
thetmo g ot oc huracnhd s houatn dg ehta ppTyh.a tn'ost
dignifiAs etdh.e gye tm or"ee ducattehder,ie"rl iggieotns
more tlhiwekh ei tmea n'rse ligaisio ftn h ehiera vweinlb le
segregat"eEdd utcoaote.iv oeennx" t ednodwsn t ot hnea m­
inogf t hceh ild.Tr heemn or"ee ducatthenede "g rboe comes,
thmeo rEeu ropneaanm ehsep icfkosr chhiisl dren. Michele,
Simone, HWuhbieternyAt.l, ol f a suSdadmae nnd, Bertha
Leea ing'oto edn ouganhmy oreI.no thweorr dvsa,l uaerse
8
llssitgonn eadm eNsa.m emsu snto wb em oret hafnu nc­
tional.
Thep oonre grdoo esans'ptit robe ew hitheej, u swta nttso
make inittno e graom eriScoha e.w orkhsa radl hli lsi fe and
finalrleyna tl si thtoluesa en dp uts sfoumren iint iuwtrh ei ch
hek eeps cowvietprhle ads stoi cwi otn 'gte dti rtAyn.dh e
getmsa di fa nybosdiyt si tbo,en c auhsee't sr yitnoig m itate
negraom eriOcnac.he eg etisn tnoe graom erihceal ,e arns
ofs o-camlildeddl e-vcallauwsehssi ,t e vTahleuhnee ws a.n ts
tog eitn twoh ite america.
Whenh et riteoes n twehri taem erihceai ,sr ejecTtheed .
doorasr seh uEtv.e inf hhaesa bjiogb sionmw eh itfier m,
Ifh e's otnheo "sooefn ly" nheegs rtoifielnsldo, su tth ahte 's
Blacwkh en qiuti'tst tiinmgTe h.e w hitweo rkegrots h eir
waya ndl eahviemt og oh iTsh.e y'nrieca en d frioentn hdel y
job and all bbuudttd hya-dtbo uedsdgnyo'o, tu tside the
office. Thewya ndttoh ne'itr friends tthheiyn'krien g that
nigger Sloot vheisrses tu.sp rae actiinto hnne e grHoe.g ets
frustraantdte rdi teosl ivae c ontradaincdtt ihoantw 'hsy
whetnh ree bellsitoahnrest' a,sl f lo trh emH.ed oeshna'vte
thceo uratgoae d miittt ot hweh itmea nW.h ent hweh ite
folhkesw orkwsi tahs hki m whheat th inakbso u"tt hrei ot,"
hes ays huirtt'ist nhcega usaen da lslo rtbsu lolf tlhiakte.
Hutth anti ght aftheebr r ewaorkreskc ,o gredtst hionmget o
watciht to.nvc h.e,e rliinkagem u thafutchkweah oltei me.
Taket heW ashingDt.oCnr.,e ,b ellfiooirnn ,s tance. They
arresstoemde thliink3ge, 000 paenodwp hleen tbhoeoyk ed
em,t hey foouuttnh dat th e gmraejaotr oiftt hye m worked
•
for gtohvee rnmHeandjt o.b msa,k imnogn esyt,it lhlew seer e
thdeu des wwehrooe u itn t hset reIenDt e.t riotiw ta st he
Hlltmhei nIgtw. a sn't thoeun nleym plobyreodt hIetwr a.s
thoen e who was hobmrei$ n1g1ei0vn egrF yr idIaytw. a s
thoen e whhaoda Thunderabnidrs do,m cel evainn es. He
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