As an MFA student I am constantly being encouraged to read. One of the books on my list is The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley.
It's amazing how perverted Malcolm's message was by the white media who wanted to slander him. It was "by any means necessary." He didn't "hate whitey" but rather the institution that kept black Americans down.
And by any means necessary he meant protecting his community from the white government who wanted to shut them down, and the white police who routinely brutalized young black males.
What's revealing and tragic about this read is how little things have really changed. Young black men are still at the whim of the white patriarchy, and cops brutalize these same young black men for sport. The system is also more likely to push young black men into foster care which is a pipeline to prison.
This is why The Black Lives Matter movement is so important. As an activist I have had the honor of marching with these young people many times. While they include whites which he was initially against, during the end of his life he began to change his rhetoric when he saw Muslims of all colors praying together at Mecca.
Malcolm X is fascinating, fanatical, militant and entertaining all at the same time. He goes from class president in Lansing to street hustler to prisoner and to Muslim minister. What's amazing is how the US government is still trying to shut down Muslims but the KKK was state sponsored terrorism.
Like myself, Malcolm X was a second generation activist as his father championed Marcus Garvey. Would be have gotten along? I dunno. He seemed to hate the white man but before prison liked white women and they helped put him there. (Long story, read the book). Not to mention he has some interesting ideas about how his breaking a woman's heart turned her into a lesbian. (Your might be a great public speaker but your penis doesn't have the magical powers to make a woman queer).
Either way, this is an interesting read for any activist and student of history
It's amazing how perverted Malcolm's message was by the white media who wanted to slander him. It was "by any means necessary." He didn't "hate whitey" but rather the institution that kept black Americans down.
And by any means necessary he meant protecting his community from the white government who wanted to shut them down, and the white police who routinely brutalized young black males.
What's revealing and tragic about this read is how little things have really changed. Young black men are still at the whim of the white patriarchy, and cops brutalize these same young black men for sport. The system is also more likely to push young black men into foster care which is a pipeline to prison.
This is why The Black Lives Matter movement is so important. As an activist I have had the honor of marching with these young people many times. While they include whites which he was initially against, during the end of his life he began to change his rhetoric when he saw Muslims of all colors praying together at Mecca.
Malcolm X is fascinating, fanatical, militant and entertaining all at the same time. He goes from class president in Lansing to street hustler to prisoner and to Muslim minister. What's amazing is how the US government is still trying to shut down Muslims but the KKK was state sponsored terrorism.
Like myself, Malcolm X was a second generation activist as his father championed Marcus Garvey. Would be have gotten along? I dunno. He seemed to hate the white man but before prison liked white women and they helped put him there. (Long story, read the book). Not to mention he has some interesting ideas about how his breaking a woman's heart turned her into a lesbian. (Your might be a great public speaker but your penis doesn't have the magical powers to make a woman queer).
Either way, this is an interesting read for any activist and student of history
While Malcolm X would disapprove of my merch, I am peddling it anyway
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