On May 19th, throughout the world, we will
be celebrating the 75th Birthday Commemoration Honoring Malcolm X. Malcolm
X was one of our great African in America leaders who was born on May 19,
1925 in Omaha, Nebraska.
In Chicago, a special program will be sponsored
by the National Black United Front, Chicago Chapter and the Conscious Music
Coalition on Friday, May 19, 2000 at the Legacy Theater, 12952 South Western
beginning at 7:00 p.m. Special videos depicting the life and contributions
of Malcolm X will be shown.
Even though Malcolm is no longer physically
with us his spirit still lives and his profound contributions to worldwide
African Liberation remain significant.
It was on February 21, 1965 that Malcolm
X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, New York by forces
who were trying to stop his impact on our movement. They were not successful.
He will forever remain our "Shining Black Prince."
Malcolm X is a man that should be studied
carefully in our efforts to examine a critical period in our history--
the 1960's. For it was during this period that Malcolm X became an internationally
known and respected African in America leader, whose ideas were widely
discussed and debated.
It was through the Nation of Islam, under
the leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, that Malcolm X was given
an opportunity to develop his tremendous talents as a teacher, researcher,
orator, and organizer.
Malcolm X joined the Nation of Islam while
in prison in 1952. After his release in the mid 1950's, Malcolm X became
a full-time minister for the Nation of Islam that became one of the most
important organizations in the history of African in America, people. From
his main base in Harlem, at Mosque Number 7, he launched his talents on
the world.
Malcolm X was a revolutionary who presented
a model of Black manhood that shook the world. When Malcolm X finally left
the Nation of Islam, because of internal differences, he decided to take
his first trip to Mother Africa. Malcolm spent five weeks in Africa, from
April 13th to May 21st, 1964.
This trip helped reestablish our links
with the movement to reclaim "Africa for the Africans." Malcolm met many
of the leaders and people of Africa. He visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon,
Nigeria, Ghana, Monrovia, Liberia, Senegal, Tanzania, Guinea, Morocco,
and Algeria.
This trip and subsequent trips abroad helped
Malcolm sharpen his understanding of the worldwide system of white supremacy
as the number one enemy of African people throughout the world. This has
not changed.
After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm
began to broaden his organizing strategies by attempting to reach out and
work with many of the more established civil-rights organizations and movement
tendencies to a common organizational vehicle. Malcolm began building this
vehicle through his establishment of the, Organization For Afro-American
Unity (OAAU).
Malcolm felt that a United Front was the
necessary mechanism by which the political consciousness of African American
people could be raised. Also, he felt that this United Front would be the
common voice we needed to represent the Black Liberation movement in this
country. Many of us are still working to build this United Front concept
of organizing toward our liberation in America.
In the spirit of Malcolm, let us summarize
his contributions:
3. During this same period, Malcolm became
the spokesman for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam,
and thus, became a spokesman for the Black Nationalist Movement in one
of the most important periods in our history-- the period of the mid 1950's
through the 1960's.
4. In this role, Malcolm articulated many
important concepts and ideas that helped strengthen the Black Nationalist
Movement in this country, as well as, the Civil Rights Movement. His speech,
"The Ballot or the Bullet," still rings in our ears. His conception of
the role of "House Negroes" vs "Field Negroes" is still with us today.
And his coining he phrase, "By Any Means Necessary" are just a few of the
ideas and concepts that concretely impacted the Black movement.
5. Malcolm X defined Black Nationalism
in simple terminology that appealed to the Black masses when he said, "the
political philosophy of Black nationalism is that Blacks should control
the politics and politicians in our own community... The economic philosophy
of Black nationalism must be designed to re-educate our community to the
importance of controlling the economy in which we live by owning and operating
the businesses. The social philosophy of Black nationalism is we must become
socially mature enough to realize the responsibility on us to elevate the
conditions and standards of our community to a higher level."
6. Malcolm X linked the Black struggle
in this country with the struggle of African people around the world.
7. Malcolm helped shape Black peoples pride
in themselves and by so doing, he exposed, by teaching, that the greatest
crime of white people was they taught us to hate ourselves. It was Malcolm's
spirit that generated the Black Pride, Black Studies, and Black Power phases
of our movement.
So, on the one hand, Malcolm helped internationalize
our struggle and on the other hand, he linked it up to the mass struggle
and issues that faced our people in America. By taking this approach, Malcolm
was able to provide a basis for the continued historical efforts to build
worldwide African unity. Call 773-268-7500, ext. 144 for more information.
Remember Malcolm!