Kemetic Principles in African American Public Address: An Interrogation of the Rhetoric of Joseph C. Price and the Kemetic Tradition

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to promote the utilization of Kemetic principles in approaching African American public address. Although there have been recent studies on African American public address, the employment of the Kemetic philosophy is limited. Using the four overarching ethical principles of Kemetic rhetorical tradition as outlined by Karenga, this essay interrogates Joseph C. Price’s 1890 speech at the National Education Association national convention. A Kemetic analysis of Price’s speech reveals that African American public address endorses the dignity and rights of the human person, the well-being of family and community, the integrity and value of the environment, and the reciprocal solidarity and cooperation for the mutual benefit of humanity. This suggests that a Kemetic understanding of African American public address can (a) civically benefit the broader community because of its ethical foundation, (b) facilitate the recognition of contemporary ethical appeals in any given discourse, and (c) serve as an impetus for collective advancement toward a social justice–oriented world.