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My comments on Malcolm X and his influence on many people of color and other ethnic groups around the world have been posted on this blog annually. Most recently, it was the tribute to Dr. Manning Marable's Nobel Peace Prize for the book, "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" . What I find as rather significant...is the degree to which he's been mythologized. I can remember feeling a certain amount of awe when a sister at the post office whispered to me..."girl we have Malcolm's stamps in". Of course, I bought a book but as I was driving home--I couldn't help but wonder what he would of thought of this development. Once relegated as the most extreme revolutionary feared by America to becoming mainstreamed in such a fashion that his image was gracing an U.S. Government issued stamp was astounding to me at the time. Dr. Marable's reality book --warts and all lends credence to the resolve and the ability of this human being to grow and become one of the great thinkers of the 20th century not only by revolutionaries but mainstream society as well. Still not sure if he would have been pleased by that development.
Briefly, there are two sites that I think provide interesting insights re: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz more popularly known as Malcolm X that I'd like the readers to visit. On Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry's blog..she not only assesses this exceptional man and his impact on us but provides a clip of his speech at the Oxford Union Debate and a video of a panel discussion on the book and his life. This speech is one of my favorites and in the same league with his monumental speech "The Ballot or the Bullet". I still have the LP on the latter in mint condition. The other blog is Field Negro which takes an excerpt from one of Malcolm's speeches ”THE HOUSE NEGRO AND THE FIELD NEGRO” to frame the most publicized phenomenon of right wing blacks who are risking the integrity and safety of our multi-layered and varied community for individual gains or are simply misguided. The whip and the chain are replaced by status, money, clueless individualism and notoriety! It would be also fascinating if we could get his take on our annual tributes--recognizing his birthday and the day of his assassination.
Happy Birthday El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz !
