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Malcolm X's legacy ignored 45 years after his murder

Apparently, Malcolm X does not exist. At least that's what you might think while visiting the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. During our rally for the Heather Ellis Case, the young woman who faced 15 years in prison after cutting line at a Wal-Mart, I took a tour of the museum. After completing the hour-long tour, I realized that they'd forgotten something. Even though the museum had hundreds of pictures of other events representing the civil rights struggle in America, I saw only one picture of Malcolm X.

This incredibly disappointing display at the Civil Rights Museum is a reflection of how Malcolm's legacy has been treated like the neglected step-child of the African-American struggle for freedom and equality. Malcolm fought for civil rights just as diligently as Dr. King. He was just as impactful as Dr. King. He gave his life like Dr. King. But for some reason, most of us don't remember Malcolm's birthday. We've never considered having a holiday to commemorate his contribution. He is rarely discussed in the same sentence with Dr. King. We just ignore him and this has got to change.

It's easy to understand why mainstream America has been conditioned not to appreciate the legacy of Malcolm X. They dislike Malcolm for the same reasons that the British dislike George Washington. Malcolm wasn't an apologist and challenged black folks to respect themselves, which was in direct contrast to a strategy of constrained and oppressive integration. Our goal was to get a seat at the table, even if we were given the scraps, and some are wondering if we are better off because of it. Malcolm kept a crystal ball in his mind which told him that a distorted, imbalanced marriage between blacks and whites would lead to terrible inner city schools, huge imbalances of wealth and unemployment and a lack of willingness by politicians to acknowledge serious concerns within the African-American community. Hence, you have the year 2010.

While the social, economic and political relationships of blacks and whites have presented quite a few gains for African-Americans, they don't work when there is still a fundamental disrespect for black people themselves. Malcolm was not necessarily against these kinds of ties, but he might agree that this union should only take place when there is definitive proof of mutual respect. Rather than embracing concepts such as ownership and institution-building, African-Americans have positioned themselves as an occupied state which leaves itself vulnerable to distorted economic and political condition. Many of us understand that the dreams of neither Malcolm nor Martin have been fully realized.

It's time for us to evolve our thinking. If we continue to use the same models, we will continue to get the same results. Martin Luther King was an undeniably great man, but to some extent, mainstream media has chosen him as an African-American hero. In the same way Lil Wayne has been promoted extensively by non-black music executives, Martin Luther King is tossed at us like the latest Jay-Z song or those Democratic nominees that none of us have ever heard about. We've never been given the opportunity to choose our own iconic figures. Instead, we are taught that Dr. King fought the entire struggle for civil rights all by himself.

We must make a collective effort to raise Malcolm from the dead to give him the appreciation he deserves. We can first start by learning Malcolm's birthday, which is May 19, 1925 and the date of his assassination, Febuary 21, 1965. We can also study his life, and his contribution to the country in which we live today. Malcolm gave black people pride and courage, which are just as valuable as eating at the same lunch counter at whites. He encouraged an honest recollection on our experience as slaves, which is far better than being taught that slavery should be forgotten. He helped us understand that black history is a living, breathing phenomenon, determining how we name ourselves, what we eat and what we think. In many ways, Malcolm gave black America a new beginning.

Malcolm, Martin and thousands of others fought to get us where we are today, and we know that. It's time to talk differently about our history. So, as we go to one MLK dinner after another, we must make a point to stop and give respect to Malcolm.

If you haven't already, check out HUSL Today's salute to Malcolm X here.

Source: http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/malcolm-x-legacy-ignored-45-years-after-his-murder.php (Be sure to read other posts while you're visiting)

Do you think Malcolm X's radical approach has tainted his legacy and made people want to steer clear of his message? OR is do people use his approach as an excuse not to give him just as much credit as Dr. King? I dont want to start a rivalry or diminish the legacy of either of them, but I am interested in your thoughts.

Share your thoughts because sharing is caring.

Enjoy the rest of your day my friends!

HUSL Today Salutes

Malcolm X

Malcolm X(also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) was born Malcolm Little on May 19,1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. By the time he was thirteen, his father had died and his mother had been committed to a mental hospital. His childhood was spent in series of foster homes. Unfortunately, Malcolm X became involved in hustling and other criminal activities in Boston and New York which led to a burglary conviction and a 7 year prison stint starting in 1946. While passing his time by educating himself Malcolm X's brother, Reginald, intrigued him with discussions of the Muslim religion. Reginald belonged to the religious organization the Nation of Islam (NOI). Malcolm began to study to teachings of Elijah Muhammed and after his parole in 1952, he became one of the Nation's leaders and chief spokesmen. He changed his surname to "X."For nearly a dozen years, he was the public face of the Nation of Islam. He married Betty Shabazz in 1958 and continued his leadership role in the NOI. While the actual transformation was not filmed, I imagine it looked something like this:


Malcolm spoke frequently about Black Pride and being proud of who you really are. Check out his powerful speech where he asks the audience "Who taught you to hate yourself?"



The crowds and controversy surrounding Malcolm made him a media magnet. He was featured in a week-long television special with Mike Wallace in 1959, called "The Hate That Hate Produced." The program explored the fundamentals of the NOI, and tracked Malcolm's emergence as one of its most important leaders. After the special, Malcolm was faced with the uncomfortable reality that his fame had eclipsed that of his mentor Elijah Muhammad.

Malcolm's faith was dealt a crushing blow at the height of the civil rights movement in 1963. He learned that his mentor and leader, Elijah Muhammad, was secretly having relations with as many as six women within the Nation of Islam organization. As if that were not enough, Malcolm found out that some of these relationships had resulted in children.

Malcolm X appearred on a television show in Chicago called "City Desk" on March 17, 1963. He discusses how many African Americans got their last name.




In March 1964 Malcolm terminated his relationship with the NOI. Unable to look past Muhammad's deception, Malcolm decided to found his own religious organization, the Muslim Mosque, Inc.

After Malcolm resigned his position in the Nation of Islam and renounced Elijah Muhammad, relations between the two had become increasingly volatile. FBI informants working undercover in the NOI warned officials that Malcolm had been marked for assassination.






Check out the video below where Malcolm X declares that if someone puts a dog on you when all you are doing are exercising the rights the government says you have, you should kill that dog.



The house negro vs. the field negro. WARNING: the video may cause a stir.



Malcolm's enemies were successful in their ruthless attempts to end his life. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965 three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. The 39-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. He was laid to rest at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

A tremendous resurgence of interest occurred in 1992 when director Spike Lee released the acclaimed Spike Lee Joint movie, Malcolm X. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Denzel Washington) and Best Costume Design. The film has been called on of Spike Lee's most powerful films. The trailer for the movie is below. My favorite scene comes around the 1:45 mark.




For his work towards Black Pride and for adding colorful phrases like "hoodwinked" and "bamboozled" to my vocabulary HUSL Today salutes Malcolm X!!

Your comments and feedback are welcomed and appreciated. Dont be scared, you're amongst friends

"We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us!"

Source: MalcolmX.com