Monday, February 23, 2015

Malcolm X Remembered 50 Years After 1965 Assassination

From Democracy Now:

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X, one of the most influential political figures of the 20th century. He was shot dead as he spoke before a packed audience at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965. Malcolm X had just taken the stage when shots rang out riddling his body with bullets. He was 39 years old. Details of his assassination remain disputed to this day. We air highlights from his speeches, "By Any Means Necessary" and "The Ballot or the Bullet." We also speak with journalist Herb Boyd, who along with Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, co-edited "The Diary of Malcolm X: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, 1964."


Watch, read, or listen to the rest here.

They say that it is impossible for a white person understand what it's like to be black in America, and I agree. One has to actually live life as a black person in order to fully appreciate the black experience, to "understand." But I also believe that the closest a white person can get is by reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Indeed, my reading it back in the late 90s was was one of the most revelatory moments of my entire life.

We should ALL get to know Malcolm X better. 

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