Black History Month: The Legacy of Malcolm X

"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."

NOTE: I intended to publish this post last Monday, but in the midst of school, soccer, and whatnot, it slipped my mind.

Monday, February 21st, marked the 46th anniversary of Malcolm X's assassination. He was shot down by assassins as he started to speak to a crowd of 400 at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem. He was only 39. When I was younger, I was taught about how Martin Luther King preached of peaceful change and integration in the late 1950s and 1960s, whereas Malcolm X delivered a different message; that being that whites were not to be trusted. He called on African Americans to be proud of their heritage and to set up strong communities without the help of white Americans. He promoted the establishment of a separate state for African Americans in which they could rely on themselves to provide solutions to their own problems. Violence was not the only answer, but violence was justified in self-defense. African Americans should achieve what was rightfully theirs "by any means necessary." He was heavily influenced by his memebership to  The Nation of Islam. After leaving The Nation in 1964 and taking a pilgrimage to Mecca, his views changed. Malcolm X announced his willingness to work with leaders of the civil rights movement, though he felt that it should change its focus to human rights. So long as the movement remained a fight for civil rights, its struggle would remain a domestic issue, but by framing the struggle as a fight for human rights, it would become an international issue. Malcolm X said the emerging nations of the world would add their support to the cause of African Americans.

My fascination with the man began after I watched the Spike Lee directed "Malcolm X," with Denzel Washington playing Mr. X. Upon further readings and internet surfing, I came to realize that this man live an amazing life. Now I could give you a biography here, but I'm not going to. If you're unfamiliar, please go to Wikipedia now, then return to this page after. 

After you're all caught up, please hit the jump.

For many today, those both black and white, the life and ideas of Malcolm X serve as a great inspiration. The X icon we see depicted on shirts and hats represent a lot more than merely a fashion accessory. Along with Marcus Garvey, Malcolm was one of the first and most prominent Black figures in the civil rights to preach Black power. He served as a precursor for many of the later, more rebellious factions of the civil rights movements, such as the Black Panther Party and the "Black is Beautiful" Movement. 


But aside from laying the foundation for the younger generations, Malcolm was a movement within his own right. He was an amazing orator and philosopher. His speeches captured the attention of everyone in attendance. Several of his speeches are online fo r reading. Oee of my favorite is his Message to Grassroots. It was one of his public speeches as a member of the Nation of Islam, and his message was a lot more politically charged than some of his previous, more religiously-influenced speeches. My favorite line comes when he says, "It's just like when you've got some coffee that's too black, which means it's too strong. What you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. If you pour too much cream in, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak."

By the time of his assassination, Malcolm X had become an uncompromising truth-teller whose love for his people empowered him to respect all human beings. "I am for truth," he said, "no matter who tells it. I am for justice no matter who is for or against it. I am a human being first and foremost, and as such I am for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole."

The video below is from the final scene of Spike Lee's "Malcolm X," which includes the scene in which he was assassinated. But I posted this link for what is said beginning with Martin Luther King's thoughts on his death at the 3:28 mark, followed by a 5 minute monologue which I assume was written by Mr. Lee. Nelson Mandela has a brief appearance as well, which proves to be eerily amazing.