Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., 'The Black Dreyfus'

Dr. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the most powerful African American politician in U. S. history before the election of Barack Obama as president, being interviewed by a British reporter about the effort of the House Democratic caucus to strip him of his chairmanship of the influential Education and Labor committee, U. S. Capitol, Washington, DC, Jan. 8, 1967.

The charismatic Dr. Powell, who was also the pastor of Harlem's historic Abyssinian Baptist church, then the largest black Protestant congregation in the country, had been charged with misconduct. In this interview, he compares himself with Alfred Dreyfus, the French artillery officer of Jewish ancestry, whose 1894 trial and conviction on charges of treason was one of the most controversial political dramas of that era.

In March 1967, a majority of the full House voted to exclude Dr. Powell from Congress. Despite this, his loyal black and Puerto Rican Harlem constituents voted him back into office in the special election held to fill his vacated seat. However, Dr. Powell did not take it, pending legal appeals.

In June 1969, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the House had acted unconstitutionally. Dr. Powell returned to the House, but without his seniority, his pay back -- or his former power. In June 1970, he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Charles B. Rangel.

Dr. Powell died at Miami, Fla., on April 4, 1972, on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(Video clip courtesy eFootage.com.)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Adam Clayton Powell
• Jr.
• Black Dreyfus
• Congress
• politics
• Martin Luther King
• Harlem
• Charles B. Rangel
• Barack Obama
• Alfred Dreyfus
• U. S. Capitol
• House Democratic Caucus
• 19671969
• 1970
• 1972

[pauldarwinlee]

"Dear Kerumbo,"

As any biography of Dr. Powell, or even a simple Google search, would reveal, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Shaw University, a historically "black" school, after delivering the commencement address in the spring of 1938. This great freedom fighter was also given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Richmond's Virginia Union, another historically "black" school, in 1943, and later awarded the same degree by the University of Kansas City.

Paul Lee, Channel Moderator

[fishandfestival]

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. used to be referred to as "Mr. Jesus" by some in the African-American community back then...He was, from the little I know of him, an outspoken playboy who worked hard for the people of Harlem and was a highly controversial figure in both is private and public lives...It's interesting how American accepts, if even reluctantly so, negroes - as they were referred to back in Powell's time - or African-Americans who are of mixed descent, particularly if they are half-white.

[kerumbo]

I would be interested in any evidence that he was a "Doctor" of any kind. I do know that he had a Masters degree in Religious Education.

[insightllc]

@Soulthinker2007 Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) -- is a member of the Trilateral Commission and knows 33rd degree secret is the 1899 Alaska Earthquake - British Association record No. 333, at Shide. Isle of Wight on September 3 at three o’ three.

[Soulthinker2007]

Wished to hear the entire interview.