Malcolm X was a man who was unafraid to be the bad guy to the press or anyone listening to him, which was very rare back then, and still is very rare today. He was an extremely educated and passionate man that devoted his adult life to the Civil Rights Movement. He was born into inequality and struggled finding his way in a white man’s world throughout his short life. He struggled to gain power in this white man’s world until he found religion as a sanctuary, he turned his life around, and then dedicated it to giving the black community a sense of hope, unity, and power. His influence in the Civil Rights Movement is unparalleled.
Despite this undeniable impact, most of us only learn about him as a violent activist, or a threatening black man, because his ideals did not fall in line with white supremacy’s structural norms in the way that other activists’ (such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s) did. Malcolm X stood out in a different way, as he always fought for what he thought was right, regardless of whether it was or not in the end. He wanted to empower the black community in a time where they felt powerless.
Sadly, today we do not get to learn much about his views or standpoints. Just because someone’s views don’t match a cultural norm does not mean their life’s work should be ignored, hidden, or marginalized– which is exactly what continues to happen today with Malcolm X and his beliefs, even in lieu of his actual views towards the end of his life (which changed dramatically from when he started out on his journey of political activism).
This website is here to shed a much needed light upon a man who has been either ridiculed, excluded, or both, by a white society. The point of this website is neither to continue this villianization nor to anglicize him, but instead, to humanize him by showing his growth and furthermore, the evolution of his ideals throughout his many experiences in life. We all need to reconsider Malcolm X to force others to reconsider their views on black youth, and through the utilization of this approach, this website strives to bring hope for a cascading effect. By humanizing Malcolm X, we hope to change how the world sees all black people, particularly black boys.
As much as many would like to think it, we have not progressed a surmountable distance since the time of Malcolm X’s life. Black men and boys are still, to this day, seen as a threat if they perpetuate any sort of thoughts, actions, or even the slightest notion that might hint towards violence. Even just actions away from peaceful expression of speech or ideas are seen as threatening. In some cases, they are perceived as a threat for doing something as innocent as wearing the hood on their sweatshirt. Not only in our institutions such as prison or government are they seen this way, but also in the institution of education.
Take a look at our school system. How many of you learned about Malcolm X? Out of those few, how many of you can say that in that education the words “Malcolm X” and “violence” were not associated with each other? This is our case in point. Black men and boys need to be seen as human and thus, afforded compassion and the right to evolve into multifaceted and imperfect individuals, just as any other human being has the right to do.
Video:
[tusettt]. (2008, February 11). Malcolm X tribute [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BopwaedExKo
The Multifaceted Man Behind the X 