Happy Birthday to ya! Malcolm X, a real American hero.
Thursday is May 19th. May 19th is an important date in American history because it is the birthday of Malcolm X, one of my personal heroes, and a man who had as much to do with equality in America as anyone else.
The popular notion, the one taught children, is that through the marches and speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, segregation was ended in American, and equality was the rule of the day. This notion is captured in the political rhetoric of today by Democrats and Republicans, who evoke Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” sermon on the Mall in Washington to support or denounce affirmative action and other programs.
But while Dr. King has rightfully received his glory, America largely overlooks what Malcolm X brought to the discussion. A choice.
See, Brother Malcolm said to 1960’s America, “you can get with this, or you can get with that. I think you’d better get with that, ‘cause’ you don’t want any part of this.” Malcolm was preaching “The Ballot or the Bullet,”
while many people were putting life and limb in jeopardy on freedom rides in the furthest reaches of the south to secure the vote for Black people in America.
It is an interesting dichotomy, and one that was not lost on Malcolm. In one hand America had an emissary of love and peace, and in the other, one of retribution and revenge. Malcolm knew that the louder he spoke, the more folks would listen to Dr. King. And he spoke directly to the agitators on the other side.
"I saw in the paper where they -- on the television where they took this Black woman down in Selma, Alabama, and knocked her right down on the ground, dragging her down the street. ...
When I saw it I dispatched a wire to Rockwell; Rockwell was one of the agitators down there, Rockwell, this [George] Lincoln Rockwell [leader of the American Nazi Party].
And the wire said in essence that this is to warn him that I am no longer held in check from fighting white supremacists by Elijah Muhammad's separatist 'Black Muslim' movement. And that if Rockwell's presence in Alabama causes harm to come to Dr. King or any other Black person in Alabama who's doing nothing other than trying to enjoy their rights, then Rockwell and his Ku Klux Klan friends would be met with maximum retaliation from those of us who are not handcuffed by this nonviolent philosophy. And I haven't heard from Rockwell since."
Source
After the Bombing/Speech at Ford Auditorium (Detroit Michigan, Feb. 14, 1965). [ed. note- "the Bombing" referenced in the title was the firebombing of Malcolm X's home in New York earlier that morning. Defiant to the end.]
This week, barring any spectacular news events, this space is dedicated to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Happy birthday to a real American Hero. And Thank You, dear Brother Malcolm.
Those that don’t know Malcolm X, or know Little (pun intended. If you don’t get it, you should really do some research.), try out MalcolmX.org for starters. And read a book why don’t cha.
Tomorrow-- Malcolm X, the Political Conservative.
Update! In support of Malcolm's role as yin to Dr. King's yang, I offer this quote.
"'I want Dr. King to know that I didn't come to Selma to make his job difficult. I really did come thinking I could make it easier. If the white people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they will be more willing to hear Dr. King.' ...in a conversation with Mrs. Coretta Scott King." malcolm-x.org .
The popular notion, the one taught children, is that through the marches and speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, segregation was ended in American, and equality was the rule of the day. This notion is captured in the political rhetoric of today by Democrats and Republicans, who evoke Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” sermon on the Mall in Washington to support or denounce affirmative action and other programs.
But while Dr. King has rightfully received his glory, America largely overlooks what Malcolm X brought to the discussion. A choice.
See, Brother Malcolm said to 1960’s America, “you can get with this, or you can get with that. I think you’d better get with that, ‘cause’ you don’t want any part of this.” Malcolm was preaching “The Ballot or the Bullet,”
while many people were putting life and limb in jeopardy on freedom rides in the furthest reaches of the south to secure the vote for Black people in America.
It is an interesting dichotomy, and one that was not lost on Malcolm. In one hand America had an emissary of love and peace, and in the other, one of retribution and revenge. Malcolm knew that the louder he spoke, the more folks would listen to Dr. King. And he spoke directly to the agitators on the other side.
"I saw in the paper where they -- on the television where they took this Black woman down in Selma, Alabama, and knocked her right down on the ground, dragging her down the street. ...
When I saw it I dispatched a wire to Rockwell; Rockwell was one of the agitators down there, Rockwell, this [George] Lincoln Rockwell [leader of the American Nazi Party].
And the wire said in essence that this is to warn him that I am no longer held in check from fighting white supremacists by Elijah Muhammad's separatist 'Black Muslim' movement. And that if Rockwell's presence in Alabama causes harm to come to Dr. King or any other Black person in Alabama who's doing nothing other than trying to enjoy their rights, then Rockwell and his Ku Klux Klan friends would be met with maximum retaliation from those of us who are not handcuffed by this nonviolent philosophy. And I haven't heard from Rockwell since."
Source
After the Bombing/Speech at Ford Auditorium (Detroit Michigan, Feb. 14, 1965). [ed. note- "the Bombing" referenced in the title was the firebombing of Malcolm X's home in New York earlier that morning. Defiant to the end.]
This week, barring any spectacular news events, this space is dedicated to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Happy birthday to a real American Hero. And Thank You, dear Brother Malcolm.
Those that don’t know Malcolm X, or know Little (pun intended. If you don’t get it, you should really do some research.), try out MalcolmX.org for starters. And read a book why don’t cha.
Tomorrow-- Malcolm X, the Political Conservative.
Update! In support of Malcolm's role as yin to Dr. King's yang, I offer this quote.
"'I want Dr. King to know that I didn't come to Selma to make his job difficult. I really did come thinking I could make it easier. If the white people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they will be more willing to hear Dr. King.' ...in a conversation with Mrs. Coretta Scott King." malcolm-x.org .
posted by Sonnyredd at 11:25 AM
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