revolutionary action movement (ram) - Michael Schwartz Library

132
most important thing in that period was maintaining unity among the various
major groups around the country .
Because it would be too dangerous
for RAM to call for a united front, Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones) was approached
and asked to go around the country to call for a National Black
United Front . Several meetings were held by the Front, but the Front soon
dissolved as friction among the Panthers, SNCC, and US
continued . 26
(Karenga's group)
During the Third National
Black Power Conference, political differences
between the
Black Guards and Karenga's Simbas (US defense section)
nearly led to shootouts . During the meetings, RAM decided to go into the
Republic of New Africa (RNA) and be the left-wing element inside the RNA .
The RNA was to be the broad front of the black movement . The RNA held its
second legislature conference on March 31, 1969 in Detroit . Detroit police,
observing Black Legionnaires with rifles pointed in the air, carne to investigate
the situation . In a few minutes, a shootout occurred, killing
one policeman and another severely wounded .
Hundreds of policemen converged
on New Bethel
building . 27
Baptist Church shooting more than 800 rounds into the
Excitement occurred in the ranks of revolutionary black nationalists
when they received news that Robert F .
Williams was returning to the United
States after eight years of exile .
RNA Black Legionnaires were put on mili
tary alert . But Williams was detained in Britian and put in jail . The
British held him as a fugitive at the request of the U .S . government . The
26 See Appendix for resoultion of the Kansas Delegation which put forth
the "National Black United Front Resolution" at the 3rd National Black
Power Conference .
27 grisbane, Black Activism , p . 183 .