NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (LNS)–Phil Hutchings, Executive Secretary of SNCC, announced that Stokely Carmichael, former National Chairman of the organization, had been formally expelled. “Brother Carmichael, both as a member and as chairman of SNCC made tremendous strides in the fight for black liberation in the past eight years, but it has been apparent now for some time that SNCC and Carmichael were moving in different directions,” Hutchings’ statement read.
Carmichael, in Oakland for Huey P. Newton’s trial, said, “We had political differences, but political differences should not be aired in public or in the press.” Carmichael claimed he would not attack the SNCC leadership nor would he appeal their decision.
For some time now, Stokely has been working closely with the Panthers and had been instrumental in attempting the merger between the two groups.