From Panthers to Pimps: Gordon Parks and the Subverting of Black America

“The Black Panther” by Emory Douglas, January 23 1971

Gordon Parks was undoubtedly an extremely talented man whose influence cut across many spheres most notably in photography and in film-making. He was also a poet, journalist and social activist.

But there was a dark side to the man which has elicited contempt among those who have probed into the hidden aspects of his life. Parks had a lengthy relationship with the CIA, the nature of which has given cause to people such as the Catholic iconoclast, E. Michael Jones, to refer to Parks as a “traitor” to his people.

Parks gave numerous debriefings to the CIA and FBI on his interactions with prominent black civil rights leaders as well as with black revolutionaries such as those belonging to the Black Panther Party. Parks was not merely questioned in regard to things he found out by happenstance, he was actually sent to acquire specific information and to gather intelligence on strategic matters. He may thus have been at least indirectly complicit in the manoeuvres of the American state in undermining of black organisations including the carrying out of assassinations.

Parks is also alleged to have been a key player in a diabolical episode of social engineering of the sort which has had catastrophic ramifications for the black community. The American elites were fearful of and had tired of the increasingly revolutionary bearing of American blacks personified by the radical politics of the Black Panthers and the likes of Stokely Carmichael and Angela Davis. So what did they do? They gave Park’s money and a ticket to Hollywood to make so-called ‘Blaxploitation’ movies. Taking the germ of Melvin Van Peebles’ groundbreaking Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, he made Shaft and then helped fund Superfly which was directed by his son, Gordon Parks Jr.

It is Superfly which is seen as the greatest turning point. Many increasingly argue that this film began a trend of exalting the ‘black pimp’ as the role model for black American communities. It created and developed a culture which had a profound effect in destabilising the black family by subverting social norms and values; the fruit of which was increasing levels of homicide, illegitimacy and drug dependency.

Can Parks be blamed entirely for instituting such a ruinous climate? Perhaps not. But he appears to have played his part in creating a downward spiral in the black community which did not happen by chance. Those who financed Parks including Henry Luce of the Time-Life organisation for whom Park’s served as a paid agent had an agenda. And that agenda encompassed a range of objectives including one of social engineering. A Lumpenproletariat of pimps, whores and welfare dependent ne’er-do-wells was infinitely preferable to an ideologically indoctrinated black population committed to effecting change in American society.

High-rolling, drug-dealing and gun-toting gangster-pimps did not threaten the power structure in the manner which ideologically committed revolutionary black activists did. When Superfly came out, Martin Luther King had been dead for five years and the FBI had completed its assassination spree against Black Panther radicals.

The time was ripe for a new model black male, and black America is still counting the cost to this day.

© Adeyinka Makinde (2018)

Adeyinka Makinde is a writer based in London, England.

Forthcoming Interview on 'The Mind Renewed'

I am scheduled to join Julian Charles later this month for another interview on his podcast ‘The Mind Renewed’. We will be discussing issues related to my recent article “Russia and Britain: An Enduring but Fruitless Rivalry”.

TMR Schedule Page on Adeyinka Makinde

We shall be joined once again by the lawyer and university lecturer Adeyinka Makinde for a conversation centred on his excellent article, “Russia and Britain: An Enduring but Fruitless Rivalry”, which was recently published at Global Research and especially recommended by the Director of Global Research, Prof. Michel Chossudovsky.

“The ongoing crisis between Britain and the Russian Federation over the poisoning of a former GRU colonel on British soil is the latest episode in what for a number of years has effectively been a ‘Cold War’ between Russia on the one hand, and the Western alliance nations comprised of NATO and the European Union on the other. It is important, nonetheless, to note that friction and dissonance between Russia and Britain has been an enduring one spanning the centuries. It is a rivalry that has been predicated on cultural differences, ideological antagonism and imperial ambition.” - Makinde.

Adeyinka Makinde trained for the law as a barrister. He lectures in criminal law and public law at a university in London, and has an academic research interest in intelligence & security matters. He is a contributor to a number of websites for which he has written essays and commentaries on international relations, politics and military history. He has served as a programme consultant and provided expert commentary for BBC World Service Radio, China Radio International and the Voice of Russia.

© Adeyinka Makinde 2018

Research Interests, Publications and Citations of my Writings - Updated April 2018

Research interests

●     Intelligence & Security

●     The History and Culture of the sport of Boxing

Publications

Books:

JERSEY BOY: The Life and Mob Slaying of Frankie DePaula (iUniverse) 2010, ISBN: 978-1-45020-637-2, 274pp including b/w photographs.

DICK TIGER: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal (Word Association) 2005, ISBN: 978-1-59571-042-0, 312pp including b/w photographs.

News magazine articles:

"A Night To Remember But...” (Commemorating the semi-centennial of Black Africa's first world championship boxing contest fought between Nigeria's Dick Tiger and the American Gene Fullmer on August 10th 1963). Africa Today, Vol. 19, No. 0809, August/September (2013) 31-34.

Journal articles:

"Old Man of Biafra" (Chapter Excerpt from the biography Dick Tiger: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal). African Renaissance, Vol 2, No 5 September/October (2005) 124-130.

"Boxing: Rousing the Nigerian Giant." African Renaissance, Vol 2, No 2 March/April (2005) 68-73.

Book reviews:

"On Intelligence: The History of Espionage and the Secret World"​. Global Security and Intelligence Studies Journal, Vol 2, Number 1 (2016)103-105.

"Empire of Secrets: British Intelligence, the Cold War and the Twilight of Empire." Covert Policing, Terrorism and Intelligence Law Review, Vol 2, Issue 2 (2014)159-161.

Textbook contributions:

"Pug of Ages: Weep for Me." Essay reproduced in Writing the Synthesis Essay, edited by John Brassil et al. New Jersey: Peoples Education, 2008 13-15.

Encyclopaedia articles:

"The Africans: Boxing and Africa," in The Cambridge Companion to Boxing, edited by Gerald Early, New York: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2018.

"Jose Torres: The Boxer as Writer," in The Cambridge Companion to Boxing, edited by Gerald Early, New York: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2018.

Conference Papers:

"Intelligence and Accountability: From the Cold War to the War on Terror."

Presented at 'The Past, Present and Future of Intelligence' on 25th May 2013 at Aberystwyth University under the auspices of the Centre for Intelligence and International Security Studies (CIISS).

Selected Unrefereed Essays and Commentaries:

Global Security

“Russia and Britain: An Enduring but Fruitless Rivalry,” Global Research dot Canada (2018).

“The Pan-Islamic Option: The West’s Part in the Creation and Sustaining of Islamist Terror,” Global Research dot Canada (2017).

“Saudi Arabia and the Doctrine of Global Islamist Terror,” Global Research dot Canada (2017).

“Israel and Islamist Militias: A Strange and Recurring Alliance,” Global Research dot Canada (2017).

“M.A.D.: The Nuclear Debate America Should be Having,” Global Research dot Canada (2016).

“The Syrian Tragedy: Western Foreign Policy and its ‘Useful Idiots’,” Global Research dot Canada (2016).

“Vladimir Putin and the Patterns of Power,” Global Research dot Canada (2015).

“The Crisis of Isis: A Debacle of a Great Game,” Global Research dot Canada (2014).

“The Ukraine Crisis: The Case for Russia,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2014).

“Democracy, Terrorism, and the Secret State,” Global Research dot Canada (2013).

History

“The Six Day War - Myth and Reality,” Global Research dot Canada (2017).

“Solzhenitsyn: The Price of Blacklisting a Nobel Laureate’s Book,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2013).

“Pope Pius and History,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2009).

Military History

“Frank Kitson: A Soldier’s Legacy,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2016).

“About Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2014).

“Skorzeny: The Mythical Commando,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2013).

Music

“Remembering Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,” Dissident Voice (2017).

“The Legacy of Michael Jackson,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2009).

Boxing

“The Mystery of the Velodrome: Battling Siki Versus Georges Carpentier,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2016).

“Floyd Mayweather: The Aesthetics of African-American Boxing Style,” Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog (2013).

“Remembering Dick Tiger,” Eastsideboxing.com (2001).

Citations

Books

Work cited: DICK TIGER: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Word Association, May 2005.

Cited in the following books:

Lis, Daniel. Jewish Identity among the Igbo of Nigeria: Israel's "Lost Tribe" and the Question of Belonging in the Jewish State. Africa World Press, Nov. 2014.

Oliver, Brian. The Commonwealth Games: Extraordinary Stories Behind the Medals. Bloomsbury Sport, May 2014.

Torromeo, Dario; Esposito, Franco. I Pugni Degli Eroi. Absolutely Free Editore, Dec. 2013.

Achebe, Chinua. There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra. Allen Lane, Sept. 2012.

Hall, Karen L. Game Plan: A Social History of Sport in Alberta. University of Alberta Press, Jun. 2012.

Hudson, David L. Boxing in America: An Autopsy. Praeger Publishers, Jun. 2012.

Redner, Charles. Down But Never Out. Open Books Press, Feb. 2010.

Work cited: "Democracy, Terrorism and the Secret State: From the Era of Gladio to the War on Terror." GlobalResearch.ca, Jan. 2013.

Cited in the following book:

Paterson, Graham L. A Constitutional Journey. Xlibris, Feb. 2013.

Work cited: "The Politics of Anthony Mundine." Eastsideboxing.com, Oct. 2001.

Cited in the following book:

Sarra, Chris. Strong and Smart - Towards a Pedagogy for Emancipation: Education for First Peoples (Part of New Studies in Critical Realism and Education Series). Routledge, Aug. 2012.

Academic journals

Work cited: “Vladimir Putin and the Patterns of Global Power.” Global Research dot Canada, Nov. 2015.

Cited in the following journal:

Li Ming, Tseng. “No More Blood For Oil. How Could EU Help?” Review of Business and Economics Studies, Volume 5, No. 2 (2017), pp. 47-57.

Work cited: “NATO: Private Club of War Criminals.” Global Research dot Canada, Oct. 2016.

Cited in the following journal:

Ahmed, Mughees; Murtaza, Zainab & Shahzadi, Tanzila. “Libyan Gold Dinar Plan and US-Nato Retort”.  The Government: Annual Research Journal of Political Science, Volume 6, No. 6 (2017), pp. 115-124.

Work cited: "Floyd Mayweather: The Aesthetics of African-American Boxing Style." Adeyinka Makinde, Writer Blog, Oct. 2013.

Cited in the following journals:

Perkins, Paul; Helmer, Richard J.N.; Mackintosh, Colin & Hahn, Allan G. "Reflections on Long-Term Development and Use of Automated Scoring Technology in a Sport (Modified Boxing) Context." World Journal of Engineering and Technology, Volume 5, No. 03 (2017), pp. 455-480.

Perkins, Paul; Hahn, Allan; Lucas, Richard & Keegan, Richard. “The Boxing Conundrum: Is there a Place for a New Variant of the Sport?” Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, Volume 2, Issue 09 (2014), pp. 09-25.

Work cited: “The Iron-Fisted Ethiopian State.” Global Research dot Canada, Sept. 2016.

Cited in the following journal:

Yiannoutsos, Alexandra. “Crossing Arms: The Plight and Protest of the Oromo in Ethiopia.” The McGill International Review [Online] Nov. 8 (2016).

Work cited: DICK TIGER: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Word Association, May 2005.

Cited in the following journal:

Gennaro, Michael. “‘The Whole Place is in Pandemonium’: Dick Tiger versus Gene Fullmer III and the Consumption of Boxing in Nigeria." The International Journal of the History of Sport, Volume 30, Issue 16 (2013).

Work cited: "Retreading Hagler versus Hearns." Eastsideboxing.com, Apr. 2002.

Cited in the following journal:

Ehrlichman, Brad. "In This Corner: An Analysis of Federal Boxing Legislation." Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts. Volume 34, No. 3 (2011), pp 421-456.

Academic textbooks

Work cited: "Pug of Ages: Weep For Me." Cyberboxingzone.com, Oct. 2002.

Reproduced in the following textbook:

Brassil, John et al. Writing the Synthesis Essay. Peoples Education, 2007.

Reference books

Work cited: DICK TIGER: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Word Association, May 2005.

Cited in the following books:

The Editors of Salem Press. Great Athletes - Boxing & Soccer (Volume 1 of a 12-Volume set). Salem Press, Sept. 2014.

Grasso, John. Historical Dictionary of Boxing. Scarecrow Press, Jan. 2014.

Akyeampong, Emmanuel K.; Gates, Henry Louis (Editors). Dictionary of African Biography. Oxford University Press, Dec. 2011.

Hudson, David L. Combat Sports: An Encyclopedia of Wrestling, Fighting and Mixed Martial Arts. Greenwood Press, Apr. 2009.

Gates, Henry Louis; Higginbotham, Evelyn Brooks (Editors). The African-American National Biography. Oxford University Press. Mar. 2008.

Think Tank Papers

Work cited: “Debacle of a Great Game: The Islamic State (IS) and America’s War on Iraq and Syria”, Global Research dot Canada, Aug. 2014.

Cited in the following papers:

Yilmaz, Sait. “Kuresel Tetorun Geldigi Asamayi Nasil Okumaliyiz?”, 21 Yuzyil Turkiye Enstitusu (2015).

Yilmaz, Sait. “ISID ve Ortadogu’da Uzun Savas”, 21 Yuzyil Turkiye Enstitusu (2014).

Unpublished Work

Work cited: DICK TIGER: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal. Word Association, May 2005.

Cited in the following projects:

Gennero, Michael. “‘Empire Boxers are the Goods’: Race, Boxing, and Nigerians in the Black Atlantic," Nigeria in the Ring: Boxing, Masculinity, and the Empire in Nigeria, 1930-1957, unpublished dissertation, University of Florida (2016).

Obasa, Olusegun. Sports and the Modernity of Leisure in Nigeria: Stadium Space and the Symbolisms of Expressions, 1930-1980, unpublished dissertation, University of Texas at Austin (2015).

Work cited: “The Six Day War: Myth and Reality”, Global Research dot Canada, June 2017.

Cited in the following project:

Havelkova, Lenka. “Conflict of Identities: Zionism and Palestinian Nationalism”, unpublished master’s thesis, Univerzita Karlova (2017).

© Adeyinka Makinde (2018)

Adeyinka Makinde is based in London, England.

Moonraker - The Latest BBC Dramatisation of a James Bond Novel

Cover artwork for Ian Fleming’s “Il Grande Slam Della Morte” (Moonraker) in Amica magazine, August 1965. (Artist: Gianni G. Gaeta)

Ian Fleming provided an heroic image for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) by pitting it against the ‘malevolent’ intelligence agencies of the Soviet Union and the ‘evil’, often unhinged, plutocrat bad guys they often supported. Britain may have forfeited its place as a world power to the United States, but Fleming made it relevant through the Cold War exploits of Commander James Bond.

SIS, better known as MI6, has in recent times earned a certain notoriety having suffered several public relations setbacks involving the exposure of its part in ignoble deeds. There was ‘Operation Mass Appeal’ which involved planting stories in the media in a ploy aimed at influencing public support for the idea that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. MI6 also helped the United States with its policy of ‘Extraordinary Rendition’. And a 2015 Old Bailey case against a jihadist was dropped on the grounds that Britain’s security and intelligence services would have been “deeply embarrassed” about their covert support for anti-Assad militias in the Syrian Civil War.

One can therefore be forgiven for indulging in the nostalgia and moral certainty attached to James Bond as the BBC radio drama department produces yet another installment in the series of adaptations of Fleming’s novels.

Moonraker, which was the third Bond novel, is the story of Hugo Drax, an industrialist who is behind a project to design a missile capable of defending England from a Soviet attack. Seemingly a super-patriotic Englishman who was orphaned at an early age and seriously wounded as a soldier during World War Two, Drax is later revealed to be a German Nazi who is hellbent on avenging Germany’s wartime defeat. The missile is due to be launched amid great public fanfare as part of a test firing exercise. However, instead of landing harmlessly in the North Sea, Drax plans to arm the projectile with a nuclear warhead and re-configure its flight coordinates so that it destroys London.

The drama features Toby Stephens in his seventh appearance as Bond. Winston Churchill (played by John Baddeley), in his post-war phase as prime minister, makes a ‘cameo appearance’. The actor who perhaps steals the scenes is Nigel Anthony who plays Drax’s German henchman Krebs with a Peter Lorre-inspired accent.

Moonraker was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday, March 31st 2018.

Director: Martin Jarvis

Producer: Rosalind Ayres

Adaptor: Archie Scottney

© Adeyinka Makinde

Adeyinka Makinde is a writer based in London, England.