The Trickle Down Theory
When CORE became a Black Power organization, it adapted ideas that originally came from the NOI but were experienced as filtered through Malcolm X. Most obvious was CORE's rejection of a strict adherence to non-violence and its adaptation of the use of violence in self defense. Several local chapters like Brooklyn and Harlem CORE also started programs to provide services to Blacks who were incarcerated and those who had recently been released.

Malcolm X was the number one influence on CORE as a Black Power organization. Its members during this time were consciously trying to take his ideas and put them into practice especially in the areas of education and politics.

This was notably seen in the city wide attack on the public school system by local chapters participating in the community control movement (something he advocated in his 'The Ballot or the Bullet' speech). The most obvious legacy to these actions was the dramatic increase in the number of Black and Latino teachers, principals and superintendents in the city's public schools and the growth of charter schools located within the Black and Latino communities.

How They Do It in Harlem
Chapters like Harlem CORE adapted aspects of his 'nation within a nation' concept in attempting to exert influence over the community's institutions such as the banks, hospitals and schools.

In 1967, Harlem CORE put forward a proposal before the New York State legislature to create an independent Board of Education for Harlem. Victor Solomon, then the education committee chairman, was a principal spokesman. He argued in a published paper that since the NYC Board of Education (BOE) could not fulfill the minimum needs of the Harlem community, the Harlem community should be given control of the schools within its district. The district schools would still retain government funding, but delegated members of the Harlem community would be responsible for all decision making.(51)

While the proposal was not accepted by the legislature it later evolved into a proposal to create a national all Black Board of Education, and was accepted by the first National Black Political Convention (NBPC) in 1972.(52)

Locally, Harlem CORE chairman Jerome Smith teamed up with Don Elfe (who had also attended Mosque #7 before he came into Harlem CORE) to create an independent Black school in Harlem with funding from the Board of Education.(53)

Dubbed Central Harlem High School (CHH), it operated out of an old junior high school on west 140th street between Lenox and 7th avenue. Although the building had been donated by the city, the BOE discontinued financial support causing the school to close in 1973.(54)

Even though CHH was supported by several CORE members, it was not a CORE project. CORE did however establish its own elementary school in the South Bronx, the CORE Community School, in the late 1970's with Victor Solomon as director of educational affairs. Again, this was short lived primarily due to lack of funding.(55)

CORE started to run their own candidates for local office in New York but failed with its first few. CORE finally succeeded with its candidate Sidney Von Luther who was elected State Senator in 1971.(56)

Other CORE members were similarly inspired with mixed results. Often they did not succeed in the short term but did in the long run. Harlem CORE's Waverly Howard failed when he ran for State Assemblyman in 1976 but his experience led to helping get Judge Bruce Wright elected to the New York State Supreme Court.(57)

Tony Spencer was part of Harlem CORE's secondary security perimeter at Malcolm X's Saturday rallies. He first ran for office on Congressman Shirley Chisolm's slate in 1972. That effort, like his others, failed. However, he was able to turn his experience into a series of high profile political appointments. Considered the protege of legendary Harlem politician Basil Paterson, Spencer served as his assistant when Paterson was Secretary of State of New York in 1979 and to Paterson's successor. Before he was appointed deputy of African American Affairs for Governor Mario Cuomo, Spencer had also served as community liaison for Congressman Charles Rangel.(58)

Hilton Clark of Columbia University CORE used his political experience to create the Malcolm X Club of Independent Democrats. He and Harlem CORE's Elaine Parker in 1971 ran for district leader in Harlem. They lost, but Parker went on to head the Harlem office of Manhattan Borough President Andrew Stein. Clark eventually won in 1979 in another section of Harlem as district leader. Years later as a city councilman Clark was responsible for introducing to the city council the legislation that renamed parts of Lenox Avenue as Malcolm X Boulevard.(59)

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