BLACKOGRAPHY - Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

here is he with his family

 Mr. Powell Jr. on the left. 1965

Edited by Veemack - Feb 07 2013 at 11:06pm

EPITOME wrote: i wonder if his grandson identifies as white? but doesn't bc of his name. ACP used to pass as white and stopped bc his black classmates shamed him. He reportedly said of MLK JR. "Who is this negro preacher?" i really wanted to name my son Clayton at one point

Good question Epitome.

I had always heard his dad rejected the opportunity to pass. Interesting to know that as a child he attempted to.

And most blacks during that time referred to each other as Negros. Even MLK and Malcolm.

Now Mr. Powell Jr. was a force to be dealt with, he was smart, with charm and good looks.... I use a phrase he often used and that was "Keep the Faith baby" I drop the baby. He was a very smart man one of those cool cats who ended many of his sentences with baby.  There is a good movie named "Keep the Faith baby" about his life story Harry Lennix (dresser from the Five Heartbeats) plays Adam Powell Jr. and Vanessa L. Williams plays his second wife Hazel Scott who was a wonderful jazz pianists. It is a really good movie I rented it through Netflix. You might even catch it this month for Black History month. You will enjoy it Harry plays him well. Mr. Powell was straight up brother to his heart, but honestly he could of passed for a Italian man easily. Remarkable man who learned the ways of white men in politics and tried to make a difference and he did, along with some mistakes.



Edited by Veemack - Feb 07 2013 at 11:02pm

binky622 wrote: His mom is captivating as well.

And his father.