The Racial Identity of Adam Clayton Powell Jr.: A Case Study in Racial Ambivalence and Redefinition (Biography‪)‬

Adam Clayton Powell Jr., one of America's most militant 20th century black leaders, was also one of its most paradoxical. This son of Harlem, who called himself a "marching black" and the "first bad n****r" in Congress was to all appearances a white man. (1) His fair complexion, hazel eyes, aquiline nose, and straight hair belied his black identity. (2) In a nation consumed by racial distinctions, Powell's apparent racial ambiguity influenced his life in significant ways. As a young man, it caused him to pass for white and later to create a false racial ancestry that would legitimize his black identity. Ultimately, it made him even more militant as a black leader and enabled him to redefine what it meant to be black. Powell developed his reputation for aggressive, outspoken leadership as a young man in the midst of the Great Depression of the 1930s. He led protests that secured thousands of jobs for African Americans in New York City. In 1941, he became the first African American elected to the New York City Council. Four years later, he was the first African American to enter the United States Congress from New York City. Until the emergence of the civil rights movement in the 1950's and the appearance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the national stage, Powell kept the African American struggle for equal rights alive. (3) In the 1960's Powell reached the pinnacle of his political influence as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. Although his legislative power was eclipsed when he was stripped of his chairmanship and excluded from membership in the 90th Congress in 1967,--a matter which is dealt with elsewhere--he retained his influence among African Americans. It is significant that during his legal battles, civil rights leaders Martin Luther King, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, and Whitney Young came to his defense. (4)