Land of Our Own

Malcolm X and the Evolution of Black Nationalism

Jeffrey O. Ogbar

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English

Polity Press
30 December 2025

History of the Americas; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Social & cultural history; Society & Social Sciences; Nationalism

Black nationalist ideas have been debated and discussed over the centuries, and have shaped black religious, cultural, economic and intellectual thought. But how is black nationalism popularly understood? And how should we reckon with the unique position of black people in the United States, where black nationalism has been fundamentally shaped by the white nationalism expressed in the generations before the Civil War?

In this illuminating new book, Jeffrey O. G. Ogbar sheds much-needed light on black community, unity, and cultural, social, and political identity. The story of black nationalism is not limited to “back-to-Africa” Garveyites, or to the religious nationalism of the Nation of Islam. By retelling the story of perhaps the most well-known figure of the movement, Malcolm X, he reveals how internationalism, self-determination, self-defense, and empowerment through the electoral process are the cornerstones of black nationalist thought. More than “racial solidarity” or racial pride, black nationalism in its truest form seeks territorial and political sovereignty—and the (often transnational) efforts to achieve nationhood have brought disparate communities together under the single banner of nationalism.

Offering both a panoramic and meticulous history, this lively book is essential reading for any student or scholar of African-American history and U.S. history, as well as anyone who has been curious about the extraordinary reach and impact of black nationalism in contemporary American society.

By: Jeffrey O. Ogbar
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Spine: 15mm
Weight: 680g
ISBN: 9781509549900
ISBN 10: 1509549900
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 30 December 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Jeffrey O. G. Ogbar is Professor of History at the University of Connecticut. In June 2012 he was named the University’s Vice Provost for Diversity. In 2014 he became founding director of the Center for the Study of Popular Music.