The Imperium
The Imperium is an anarchist government in the novel formed by Griggs (the character, not the author) and a few other well-educated Black men in order to attempt establishing a society that treats Black people with the same rights and privileges that white men ensured for themselves in the American government. The attempt is highly symbolic, and in the end it fails. The government is a symbol for many things, but two primary meanings are: the government is an expression of Griggs's desire for justice and the government is an expression of the need for change at the systemic level.
Belgrade
One of the leaders in the community is an ego-driven leader who exploits the shared emotions of the masses in order to incite them to follow his example, because that makes him powerful de facto. He exploits their sense of anger and injustice and thus ensures easy victory for himself, but he also destroys the small fledgling nation in the process. He represents the ego, since he desires power to stroke his own ego, and because he is willing to obey emotion to the point of destruction.
Education as a symbol
The symbolic license to lead the community is given to those Black men who are established and educated, but they immediately address the concern that lies just under the surface. The reason that most of the Black men in this novel are not educated is because they have been historically forbidden from education, meaning that education is a symbol for the systemic injustice that faces Black people, because the historical disenfranchisement from education has left the community without enough leaders.
Piedmont as a symbol
Piedmont's arguments are shaped after the speeches and writings of Booker T. Washington. He responds to the question of violence, not by saying violence is wrong and uncalled for, but by reminding these men that violence is foolish and will prove unsuccessful. The US military is more than capable of laying their movement to waste, but they will only do that if the Imperium is seen as a political uprising. For this, Belgrade has Piedmont assassinated.
The issue of time
Time is shown as a symbol throughout the novel because the men in the community are frantic. When Piedmont urges them to be patient, he loses the crowd, and when Belgrade urges them to be hasty and to take what is rightfully theirs (in his opinion), they are swayed. They are angry because of the way systemic injustice has robbed the community of time, because as a community they are set back by historical limitations.
