By Any Means Necessary: Speeches, Interviews and a Letter

by Malcolm X, George Breitman (Editor)

Previously unpublished writings and speeches prepared by the revolutionary leader of the black liberation movement during the last year of his life

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Biography, Race, African American, Philosophy

184 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1970

About the author

Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little), also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was an American Black Muslim minister and a spokesman for the Nation of Islam.

After leaving the Nation of Islam in 1964, he made the pilgrimage, the Hajj, to Mecca and became a Sunni Muslim. He also founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Less than a year later, he was assassinated in Washington Heights on the first day of National Brotherhood Week.

Historian Robin D.G. Kelley wrote, "Malcolm X has been called many things: Pan-Africanist, father of Black Power, religious fanatic, closet conservative, incipient socialist, and a menace to society. The meaning of his public life — his politics and ideology — is contested in part because his entire body of work consists of a few dozen speeches and a collaborative autobiography whose veracity is challenged. Malcolm has become a sort of tabula rasa, or blank slate, on which people of different positions can write their own interpretations of his politics and legacy.

Reviews

[Kobi]

Malcolm X
Unlike most of the people I’m writing to I don’t like to read, but if I were to read a book I would choose the Biography of Malcolm X. Like most of the civil rights activists Malcolm wasn’t content with being called a “nigger” for the rest of his life. Malcolm was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the second youngest of seven. I don’t want to tell the book because the point is to get you to read it. This book will get your brain thinking in a different way about how things were back when black people and white people were unequal.

This book will make your emotions run with happiness, sadness, confusion, and shock. This book is full of twists,turns, and action packed chapters that show you the life of Malcolm X. It’s interesting to see the big transformation from when Malcolm was young to when Malcolm was older and the intelligence that Malcolm had gained from the mistakes and observations in his life. Part of the transformation was Malcolm being raised in a house of god leaves get’s into trouble, believes there is no god to the point where Malcolm becomes a man of god and follower of Ala.
If you read this book cover to cover your life will be changed, This book has opened my eyes to how hard it was to get the freedom I have today. This book may also not be your cup of tea. If you would want to look more in depth about Malcolm’s life in his words I would recomend you read Malcolm X’s autobiography. This book will change your views about stuff you never thought you would think of and then some. Thanks for listening

[sheena d! · Rating 3 out of 5]

not what you learned about X, if you even learned about him, in elementary school.

this is a collection of his speeches, directly from his mouth.

call me easily influenced but this book completely altered my feelings on gun-ownership and pacifism.

revolution, fools!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll say what I say to most people about Malcolm X (and keep in mind I grew up as a white suburban kid - luckily with a dad that taught me to find out things for myself and not rely on the words of others) - read Malxolm's actual speeches. Read and see his evolution. No one comes fully formed. And people rarely finish the way they started. These speeches give some (not total) but some measure of Malcolm's evolution. Even as someone that would have been outside the true understanding of Malcolm's struggle, if you pay attention to what he says and ignore the BS agenda's of others, you'd realize this cat needs to be on a pedestal just as high as MLK Jr's. It wasn't about violence for the sake of violence. It wasn't about killing "whitey". It was about not be unjustly held down and subjugated to others no matter what color or race or religion.

[Rin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't agree with everything but he's also from the 1960s so that makes sense. His speeches are good and important though.

[Michael Strode · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a documentary on Malcolm's life that one can occasionally find packaged with some copies of the movie Malcolm X. I consider it the finest documentary done regarding Malcolm's life because it bypasses narration or peers recounting their relationship or randomly inserted persons raising up how Malcolm affected their lives. All that the documentary includes is a series of speeches, lectures, news clips, and sound bites strung together which trace Malcolm's life from end to end.

This book is a similar summation. Perhaps no finer text exists with a collection of Malcolm's writings that display his ability to grapple with the political and cultural conditions to arrive at new truths. It is sufficient in this world to simply be the stake one's flag in the ground and hold that position until death, but when one can be so public and still allow the world to know that your position has changed upon the arrival of new information; that you might have possibly been wrong and now you are publicly correcting your stance.

This is the signature of a mature human being. One not lost in the leadership role assigned to them, but one whom has transcended and simply recognizes that they are a part of some larger and human and brilliant.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's hard to believe there are no reviews of this book here. perhaps my interest in malcolm x was a product of the "cult of personality". after all, my previous experience with the man and his historical impact was limited to the spike lee movie. but after reading this book, i found that there was another attraction (actually two): this is a man with a passion to see real justice in the world and this is a man seeking redemption (social, political, spiritual.) these are powerful symbols, and this collection of interviews and statements allows for some of these ideals to be seen. i'm not sure if this book is such a great piece of literature, in of itself. but this is one of the few writings of the man's own words, not filtered through the censor of academia. it is a necessary read for anyone who would pretend to be interested in 20th century american history.

[Nicole Drapluk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting to see Malcom’s philosophy develop over such a short period of time (the book only displays speech’s after his break with the Nation of Islam). The difference between his rhetoric from when he first broke with the Nation of Islam and after his trip to Africa is stark, however his dignified rage remained the same.

I really appreciated as Malcom was grappling with different ideas and was ever changing, he never claimed to have all the answers and remained open to solutions.

This book has pushed me think deeper and contemplate my role in organizing as white woman and where my energy should be allocated.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published in 1970, By Any Means Necessary supplements the compilation of Malcolm’s speeches and statements published five years earlier as Malcolm X Speaks. This extraordinary volume reinforces Malcolm’s relentless dedication of fighting for his people at home and in Africa while also seeking brotherhood through his willingness to work with those of any race having a sincere commitment in wanting to solve the horror of racism and inequality in America and abroad.

As was the case with every speaking engagement Malcolm conducted, he had a gifted ability to state the facts and express his truth with a logic that made refuting his message difficult. Even when disagreeing with him, it is hard to find error in his vast knowledge and logic. Whenever someone tried to undermine him, his peerless intelligence enabled him to respond with facts, examples, and experiences that silenced his opponents and made his audience reconsider and reflect, often expanding and changing their minds.

“By any means necessary” is perhaps the most misunderstood and wrongly criticized message of Malcolm’s philosophy. It did not signify a call to violence, instead it was a refrain that embodied considering every method and tactic as viable, especially the power of the ballot, in making headway against defeating the evil of racism. Malcolm sought peace and brotherhood, but he argued that Blacks had every right and justification to defend their lives when facing grave threats.

If the Klan could lynch, if the police could brutalize, if white supremacists could discriminate, and if the American government could start unjust wars against marginalized peoples without ever facing consequences for their violence, why were Blacks deemed criminal if they declared action to defend their lives? Why were whites deemed lawful for owning guns, while Blacks were stigmatized as radicals for wanting to have a gun?

When reading Malcolm’s incredible words, you come to realize that perhaps he made his greatest impact by demanding we all take action to ensure every American is accepted. What is most admirable about Malcolm is how whenever anyone challenged his right to freedom and equality, he refused to back down and instead showed us how to rise with the integrity of our best self and defend our human dignity to belong.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm a sucker for controversial public figures and their writings. Good insight on his speeches. Read this, by any means necessary....

[cia sunshine ☭ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Stars. Malcom X was an amazing speaker, and that is glossed over in our history books, if he’s even mentioned at all. I believe the school system is failed by not teaching his words. Instead they focus on Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks, not that that’s bad, but Malcom X deserves the hype too. Instead, he’s painted as a violent criminal who adores violence and abhors white people when that is very clearly not the case. He abhors the system. He abhors the white man who oppresses, and that’s something I can I get behind.

I’m a white person, and I agree with every word he said throughout this book. He speaks of putting your religion in your pocket when you’re trying to make change, so that it doesn’t interfere. He speaks of organizing together to fight a common enemy. He says white people should organize with other white folks in order to change their minds and educate them on what the government has done and continues to do to black people. He even speaks on injustices in the Congo which is still relevant to this day.

Everything he says is well-worded and exact. He says what he means, and I love that about him. I have no criticism because he even admits when he is wrong. He was taken from us too early, and he was a true revolutionary. Everyone needs to read this book.

[Sameeha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Malcolm X's speeches showcases his great clarity on the issue of the African American struggle, and his ideas to resolve it. His evolution over time through his association with various organizations and learnings from his travels, as evident through these talks, is truly remarkable and thought provoking. From Malcolm Little to Malcolm X to a revolutionary leader extraordinaire, the teachings through this journey is a must study for everyone wanting to understand the current politics of the USA and the world.

[Daniel Ocón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm X: I don't believe in segregation.

Malcolm X a few years later: You know, I may have been wrong and I've changed my mind.

[Chad Alexander Guarino da Verona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgive me Malcolm, I was unfamiliar with your game.

[Jen Bracken-Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot.

If prophets comfort the oppressed and are hard on oppressors, then I think for sure Malcolm X was a prophet. I would have enjoyed a little more historical context in the introductions to the speeches, but the intros were awesome for highlighting how Malcolm X was FOREVER puzzling over liberation and he was constantly educating himself and demonstrated humility when he changed his mind about things.

This quote from James Baldwin captures something that shines through in this collection:

"...Malcolm X was doing a debate with a very young sit-in student, and the radio station called me to moderate this discussion which I did. I was not needed, I must tell you. Malcolm was one of the most beautiful and one of the most gentle men I met in all my life."

- James Baldwin, "The Civil Rights Movement Was a Slave Rebellion," speech at UC Berkeley (1979)

[Barnes.iser]

Iser Barnes
2-4-09

Oh! Hi the book I read was Malcolm X. By any mean necessary by Walter dean Myers. This book was an interesting thing to read. To get in the mind of a really out spoken person.
First off him as a child he had to deal with. The hardships of see his father being ran over. A cops lying about investigating what happen. Then as he grew up he went on to be a force to recant with. President of his class in high school. Then became known in big cities across the United States. But then it leads him to the nation of Islam. Where he became apart of after going to jail. Where when he got out he became a Minster. But shortly after he starts figuring out that he has change. For the worst but with the help. Martin Luther king Jr. help he found his way back. Then got out but died shortly after which was really sad.
This is my book helped me to understand. How some one can change over time to find their self in life. Also this book makes me feel like change is hard for one person. That’s my book review hope you liked it.

[Michae'la Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Malcom X, By Any Means Necessary

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Rating: 5

Summary:


In this book Malcom Little known to you as Malcom X was a powerful man in history. As a child there were troubles with his family such as his father being hit by a train and his mother being sent to a mental hospital. Malcom a.k.a Detroit Red went on to Boston only to deep trouble. When sent to jail Malcom turned over a new lead he began to read the dictionary and soon enough by the help of Elijah Muhammad Malcom was released and went on a courageous journey that will make his life for better or for worse.Too find out more you just have to READ & SEE !

[R Bradley]

Easy quick read. Was very interesting as I wanted to know more about Malcolm X, and his life and what he did. This book offered a quick journey of his life throughout the years and his ideas and how they changed, and the impact he left on many in the world. Good book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Malcolm X, the U.S. Civil rights movement, or anyone wanting a quick informative read about someone regarded as a very influential person.

[Qynn Perkins]

Was a great book!

[Sham Al-Ghazali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of speeches and interviews by one of the greatest men in history. Reading Malcolm X’s thoughts on the movement, and politics elsewhere, before and after him leaving the Nation of Islam.

[Aidan Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts by describing his childhood, which was anything but normal. He was born in 1925 to Earl and Louise Little in Omaha, Nebraska. His childhood was peaceful until he and his family moved to Lansing, Michigan, where he stood outside and watched as “the house burned to the ground” (Myers 16). Just two years later, he saw his mother screaming and crying because his father died, and Malcolm was physically and mentally shaken by his father’s unfortunate passing. He was so shaken that he was “afraid to go to sleep” and he had nightmares about what could happen to him if he slept (Myers 21). He couldn’t understand how his father, who was extremely important to him, was just taken away from him in the blink of an eye. His father was well-known and respected in the African-American community of Lansing before he died, so it affected those people as well. As the Great Depression swept the nation, Malcolm started school, and he immediately noticed that the majority of children who went there were not African Americans.
His family was particularly poor, so he always wore hand-me-downs, and the other children teased him because he could never afford his clothes. Eventually, the teasing became hurtful, and Malcolm would have to just suck it up and move on. His situation at home rapidly declined, and his mother slowly started to crack from the pressure of keeping everything together at the house. The children tried their best to “take over the running of the house” but it was extremely difficult without a parental figure to rely on. I enjoyed reading this part of the book in particular because it shows how Malcolm had to be mentally strong from a very young age, and I think that he reflected this mental strength by fighting for what believed in.
I think that anyone who wants to learn more about the civil rights movement (and Malcolm X in particular) should read this book. The book appeals more to African Americans, but anybody could pick up the book and read it if they choose to do so. If you do read the book, you will learn a lot about Malcolm that will surprise you, like how he had to stand by and watch as his parents were take away from him, or how he was the primary spokesman for the Black Muslims until 1964. He did many incredible things in his life, and the fact that he went through all that in his childhood and was still able to fight until the day he was assassinated at a hospital in 1965 shows just how strong he was. We can all learn from his incredible tenacity and determination, and I am grateful for his efforts to shape the world into a society that is more inclusive of African Americans.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm X è considerato da molte persone una figura controversa. Io non sono d'accordo, egli era un rivoluzionario e come tale si comportava. Leggendo questa raccolta di discorsi sono riuscita a farmi un'idea più precisa del suo pensiero rispetto a quella che mi ero fatta dopo aver letto l'autobiografia.
Malcolm non aveva idee assolute, egli era sempre pronto a mettere in discussione il suo pensiero e da questa raccolta emerge molto bene uno dei cambiamenti più importanti della sua vita da attivista, ossia il suo distacco dalla Nation of Islam. A tal proposito sono presenti tre discorsi tenuti da Malcolm in seguito alla fondazione dell'Organizzazione per l'Unità afro-americana (OAAU) che ho trovato i più intensi, sia per il suo coinvolgimento emotivo sia perché al loro interno sono presenti tutti i punti cardine della sua ideologia.

Esprimere un mio parere sulle sue teorie penso sia superfluo oltre che inutile, visto che solo leggendo di lui e della sua vita si può capire il personaggio. Vorrei però concentrarmi sull'accusa che più spesso le persone (in gran parte bianche) mossero a Malcolm da quando iniziò il suo attivismo: egli era considerato estremista e possibilmente violento. Tralasciando il fatto che leggendo ciò che diceva si capisce perfettamente che il suo era un atteggiamento volutamente e giustamente provocatorio, il punto è che, come dice lui stesso, non si cambia il sistema senza distruggere il sistema. Le accuse di estremismo sono le stesse che vengono mosse da sempre a chiunque cerchi di rivendicare i propri diritti fondamentali, come le donne, le persone nere, le minoranze in generale. È sempre sorprendente rendersi conto che le dinamiche sociali che ostacolano i cambiamenti radicali sono le stesse da così tanti anni.

In conclusione penso che leggere Malcolm X non sia soltanto utile allo scopo di conoscere la storia delle battaglie condotte dalle persone nere (che comunque è necessario se non obbligatorio per le persone bianche), ma si tratta di avere un modello a cui ispirarsi. Malcolm è, per me, una figura esemplare alla quale ogni attivista (o aspirante tale) dovrebbe fare riferimento.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So well done. I knew nothing about the man except a few things here and there as mentioned in pop culture. Now I'm acquainted with/the different periods of his life, beginning with his childhood, into young adulthood where the worldly path lured Malcolm into petty crime and jail, but he didn't languish there. To the contrary, it seemed Malcolm X soared spiritually and intellectually after prison. I was fascinated to learn of his pivotal role in growing the Nation of Islam in America both as a movement and a religious organization during this time, but also that he was saved by its discipline and order. He struck me as a thinker and a philosopher throughout, but one who could not be contained by mere theory. I would have liked a little more insight into what made Malcolm so uncompromising in his path toward bettering the lives his people. How some people are born to lead and are gifted, powerful orators is a thing of fascination for me! Eventually he'd travel the world speaking and garnering the respect of world leaders and giving high-profile interviews. In his last years, as described in this book, he seemed to have become more transcendent and more of a unifier having parted ways with the Nation of Islam (but not the religion of Islam). There's sadly always an early ending for people like him in this country. When we should ever be so stunned with humility and curiosity so as to embrace a figure like this, instead of silencing them, we might actually evolve as a country

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malcolm X should absolutely be remembered for his confident and militant leadership, and for the huge positive impact he had, and continues to have, on the black movement.

For most of his active years, many of his views were very badly misplaced, and he held a number of reactionary ideas including antisemitism and misogyny towards women. In the last year of his life, after splitting from the Nation of Islam, his views matured rapidly. This book provides some evidence for the huge shifts in his thinking.

He became a more militant anti-capitalist, and began to acknowledge the connections between the oppression of Black people, women, and the working class. Sadly, he was killed before he came to the conclusions that he increasingly appeared to be headed towards. In particular, his analysis of the class system was still poor and incomplete, and therefore his conclusions on the nature, tasks, and demands of the movement remained flawed and disjointed.

The format (a collection of speeches and, mostly, Q&As) may be an unfamiliar and off-putting one for some, and doesn't exactly make for the best reading (since his ideas are not presented in any real order, and there is some repetition) but with such scant evidence of this important period in Malcolm X's life, we can't be picky.

[Sarah El Massaoudi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could this book be anything but amazing?
It's a collection of speeches and interviews that Malcolm X gave in his last year. Being his passionate, funny, smart, unapologetic... self. I enjoyed reading this book so much, especially because it also reflects the process Malcolm was going through and the evolution of his views.

It always makes me sad to think about what could've happened if revolutionaries like him weren't killed and hadn't left us prematurely.

May Allah grant him Jannah! And may his legacy stay alive until real change has come, by any means necessary!

(PS: Although you can read it without, I would still recommend reading his autobiography first because it will be easier to understand certain references in this book)

[Craig Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

As mentioned in other reviews, I'm just a white guy from Idaho. My mommy was scared by the ideas of Malcom X and put MLK Jr. on a pedestal. And yes, I'm still partial to the idealism of MLK Jr., but he wasn't a perfect man and after reading this book, I was all like, "Dude, I do understand where you're coming from." Still not a fan of the divisive nature of Malcom's ideas, but I'll never know what it was like to be a black man in America now, then or ever. So reading his words did help deepen my understanding of America as a whole and how the treatment of certain Americans would prompt these feelings.

[Myles Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I’ve read in what feels like forever. For it to be a biography and being able to read through it with great intent says a lot about the book. X is one of my favorite historical figures and this book proved why. Informative and descriptive and I love how it was unapologetically prideful of Malcolm. It painted him in the way that he himself moved, without second thought of his abilities. Really good book and definitely kickstarted what will hopefully be and continuous reading journey for myself.

[are we there yet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to my reaction when I was reading James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, I thought this was depressingly relevant decades later. Also, it's very possible that the person Baldwin met was Elijah Mohammad and not Malcolm X like I thought at the time.

One of the thoughts I had was how every BLM protester should read this book. Then I started wondering why everyone's rushing to read Ibram X. Kendi and James Baldwin and not this guy. Huh. He also got it.

[Nikki Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is we who have fought your battles for you, and have picked your cotton for you. We built this house that you’re living in. It was our labor that built this house. You sat beneath the old cotton tree telling us how long to work or how hard to work, but it was our labor, our sweat and our blood that made this country what it is, and we’re the only ones who haven’t benefitted from it. All we’re saying today is, it’s payday — retroactive.”

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finishing up a lastname alphabet challenge. I read all but Q, U and X without any special effort. X is a bigger challenge. This was a lot raw-er than the Autobiography (which I understand to have been written by Alex Haley). Readable and evocative. My favorite sections were Q&A. I found this text clear but nuanced at least somewhat. And you can see his progression in even a short amount of time. Worth reading.

[Bryan Hildebrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

He was progressing so much as a leader. Shedding the negative aspects he picked up from the Nation of Islam, and they killed him before we got to see all that he was capable of.

His efforts in organizing black people across the world could have been the biggest step in eliminating black oppression.

I think the book is a great composite of his speeches, debates, interviews, and conversations. I also appreciated the added contexts before each section.