ARCHIVE - Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable

[Jovita]

Response to Teri re: Malcolm X after Mecca and the KKK

(view spoiler)[ I think it was a little bit of both. I'm sure he was quite embarrassed to find that he knew so little about his religion, but, based on what we've seen of his personality and his love of learning, I could see that experience driving him to find out more about traditional Islam and to begin to question the differences between traditional Islam and the NOI (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter Overviews and Summaries
Week Three

(view spoiler)[Chapter 9 - “He Was Developing Too Fast – April – November 1963

Malcolm meets with Elijah Muhammad over his indiscretions. Muhammad want to bury the rumors rather than address them. Malcolm X begins to preach a new message and is sent to Washington DC to run the temple there. Malcolm goes to LA for the Ronald Stokes murder trial, then goes back to DC to speak to the House of Representatives on delinquency. The talk before the HoR was ultimately cancelled. Marable discusses the disciplinary methods within the NOI. Alex Haley begins to interview Malcolm and write The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The March on Washington is detailed. There is more fall out from Elijah Muhammad’s indiscretions.


Haley initially gained prominence for being the "as told to" author behind The Autobiography of Malcolm X and then went on to publish the epic Roots

Chapter 10 – “The Chickens Coming Home to Roost” – December 1, 1963 – March 12, 1964

John F. Kennedy is assassinated. Malcolm continues his speeches contradicting Elijah’s wishes. When asked by reporters to comment on the Kennedy assassination, Malcolm likens it to “the chickens coming home to roost.” This comment caused Elijah Muhammad to suspend Malcolm X for 90 days. Malcolm spends time with Cassius Clay (aka Muhammad Ali) during his suspension. Clay begins to become involved in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm’s suspension continues beyond the 90 days. He faces complete removal and is concerned with money / income. Malcolm X pleads with Elijah Muhammad for reconciliation. NOI members begin to turn on Malcolm. Malcolm attends the Clay / Liston fight. Cassius Clay announces that he has joined the Nation of Islam and becomes Muhammad Ali. Assassination talk starts and Malcolm is warned. Malcolm’s friendship with Clay is destroyed and Malcolm officially splits with the NOI. He creates the Muslim Mosque, Inc., which is his own sect of Islam. Malcolm and Betty are ousted from their home.


Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) defeated Sonny Liston for the Boxing heavyweight championship. Malcolm X with Cassius Clay as he signs autographs

Chapter 11 – An Epiphany in the Hajj – March 12 – May 21, 1964

Malcolm X’s split is at the height of the Civil Rights movement. Malcolm and Martin Luther King, Jr. meet while attending a Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Malcolm begins moving to a more orthodox Islam movement. He begins to give his Ballot or Bullet speech on his speaking circuit. Malcolm X decides to go on his official hajj to Mecca. At the end of his trip overseas Malcolm X stops in Ghana meeting with other American expats. Malcolm returns home and starts talking with a more integrationist voice, believing that all people, even whites, can be Muslim too.


Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X meeting before a press conference after the Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Chapter 12 – “Do Something About Malcom X” – May 21 – July 11, 1964

Malcolm begins to build up Muslim Mosque, Inc. His rhetoric moves to a more socialist view. During this time he has to deal with an eviction of his Elmhurst home. J. Edgar Hoover issues an order against Malcolm X. Malcolm receives death threats but mostly ignores them. Malcolm plans to take his message to the UN to internationalize it. Malcolm X plans and does spill the beans on Elijah Muhammad’s indiscretions publicly. An attempt is made on his life on a drive to the Audubon Ballroom to speak. Malcolm gives a 2-hour testimony in the Elmhurst case. A standoff between the Nation of Islam and Malcolmites occurs. The Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) is presented to the public. Haley and Malcolm work on the final drafts of his autobiography. Malcolm forms an association with the Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM). The FBI bugs Malcolm’s home / office. Malcolm goes overseas amid growing tensions and threats on his life. A 15-year old black boy in Harlem is killed by police in Harlem causing a riot to occur in the streets.


Harlem Riot of 1964
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[Teri]

Week Three Questions- Reinvention and Revolution

(view spoiler)[1. On page 273 Malcolm X states: “Revolutions are never peaceful, never loving, never nonviolent. Nor are they compromising. Revolutions are destructive and bloody.” What are you thoughts on this statement? Can you revolutionize without destruction of some kind?

2. During these chapters we see another reinvention of Malcolm X that he describes as Pan-Africanism. What are your thoughts on this new persona? Has he evolved because of his delving into orthodox Islam? Has he become disillusioned by Elijah Muhammad, despite his speaking favorably of him as his leader? Did he truly split with the tenets of the Nation of Islam or did he merely "reinvent himself" to survive his ousting from NOI?


After a period of travel in Africa and the Middle East, he returned to the United States, where he founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU)
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[Jovita]

response to Teri re: Malcolm X's reputation with the NOI

(view spoiler)[I don't think he tried to talk to Malcolm in terms of having a two way conversation where they each try to understand the other's perspective. At this point, Elijah Muhammad has firmly established himself as a bona fide cult leader, and so he was much more accustomed to giving orders to Malcolm on what and what not to say, and expecting him to blindly follow.

However, I got the impression while reading that Elijah really did have love for Malcolm, and saw him almost as a son. In most of the instances where he took harsh action against Malcolm, it was at the urging of his closest advisors, who had selfish reasons for wanting to see Malcolm be cast down. I never got the feeling that Elijah enjoyed watching Malcolm fall. In fact, I came away feeling that it was something that he really hated having to do, but that he reluctantly realized that he would not be able to maintain the absolute power and authority he wanted with a vocal, well-liked figure like Malcolm testing the bounds of his authority.

Likewise, I don't feel that Malcolm set out to question Elijah and his teachings, but it was the natural progression of his intellectual and spiritual growth that led him to eventually see the fallacy of the NOI teaching. Even when he began to the chinks in the armor, his steadfast loyalty to Elijah made it very difficult for him to speak again the man who had been more or less a father to him since the time of his conversion..

What is so tragic about this whole thing to me as these men both truly loved and cared for one another, but there was a certain inevitability to their breakup, as their individual motivations were never really in line with one another. They were bound to clash at some point. (hide spoiler)]

[Jovita]

Week Three Questions- Reinvention and Revolution

(view spoiler)[1. On page 273 Malcolm X states: “Revolutions are never peaceful, never loving, never nonviolent. Nor are they compromising. Revolutions are destructive and bloody.” What are your thoughts on this statement? Can you revolutionize without destruction of some kind?

In the context of what Malcolm was speaking about in this quote, interracial relations in America, the fact that integration and equality were achieved in this country in a mostly non-violent way disproves this statement. As much as Malcolm and the NOI believed that civil rights for blacks could only be achieved in a separate ‘black state’, and that the non-violent integrationists’ efforts would be fruitless, it was ultimately those efforts that brought about change in this country. For all the NOI’s talk of the need for violence and change by any means necessary, they never even utilized these tactics themselves, except, as the book points out, to inflict violence on its own members! It would appear that the peaceful revolution championed by Martin Luther King Jr. and the like was very much attainable, whereas the NOI was all bark and no bite.

2. During these chapters we see another reinvention of Malcolm X that he describes as Pan-Africanism. What are your thoughts on this new persona? Has he evolved because of his delving into orthodox Islam? Has he become disillusioned by Elijah Muhammad, despite his speaking favorably of him as his leader? Did he truly split with the tenets of the Nation of Islam or did he merely "reinvent himself" to survive his ousting from NOI?

I will admit that Malcolm’s initial conversion to the NOI appeared to be another reinvention of himself, but at this point in his journey I see it more as a spiritual and intellectual evolution. His growth and development as both a Muslim man and a political figure is being spurred on by his exposure to other ideas and concepts that are contradictory to what he was being taught in the NOI. I’m sure those changes came more rapidly because of his ousting from the NOI, but I think it was inevitable that, had he not been forced out, it would have become harder and harder for him to reconcile his expanded view of Islam and civil rights with the narrow view of the NOI and Elijah Muhammad. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Rachel and Jovita - Louis Farrakhan

I have a glossary entry on Louis Farrakhan. Check it out when you have a chance. Then check out Wikipedia's version:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_F...

[Teri]

Chapter 9 Discussion Questions - pages 235 - 255

(view spoiler)[1. Malcolm confronts Elijah Muhammad over his affairs. Muhammad does not focus on them during their meeting, using biblical past to justify his behavior. How did this meeting and the handling of Muhammad's private affairs affect Malcolm X? Discuss the influence of Elijah Muhammad upon Malcolm.

2. “Malcolm had always taught that every two thousand years or so, the scriptures change. A new messenger is needed, because that which has preceded has become corrupt.” – James 67X. Do think Malcolm felt he was the new messenger? What do you feel is changing in the doctrine that he is preaching?


James 67X, also known as Abdullah H. Abdur-Razzaq and James Shabazz, was a longtime associate and friend of Malcolm X and served as his close aide and chief.
(hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter 9 Discussion Questions - pages 256 - 268

(view spoiler)[1. Compare Malcolm's approach to the racial problem with that of Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. At an October 1963 rally that Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad spoke at, Muhammad announces Malcolm as his new National Representative: “This is my most faithful, hard-working minister...he will follow me until he dies.” What do you think Muhammad was trying to accomplish? Do think this he felt this was a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer?


The March on Washington
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[Teri]

Jovita wrote: "Response to Teri re: Malcolm X after Mecca and the KKK"

Jovita --> Malcolm and orthodox Islam

(view spoiler)[I'm slightly surprised that he stuck with NOI for so long after this trip, but I suppose it was the root of what he knew and he felt some strong loyalty to Elijah Muhammad. His rhetoric stayed hate filled, i.e. advocating violence. It will be interesting to see how his next trip to Mecca continued to affect him and how he continues to evolve. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Jovita wrote: "response to Teri re: Malcolm X's reputation with the NOI."

Response to Jovita - Malcolm and Muhammad

(view spoiler)[I think you are spot on. I am sure each man felt betrayed at some point. However, I see that Malcolm continued to honor Elijah Muhammad. He continued to refer to him at the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. But I don't recall seeing that Muhammad even mentions Malcolm after the split. We'll see going forward in the book. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Jovita wrote: "Week Three Questions- Reinvention and Revolution"

Jovita -->Reinvention and Revolution

(view spoiler)[I wholeheartedly agree on both questions. I actually had not considered that the NOI really only used violence within their own organization but you are right on that. It's all about the rhetoric and making themselves heard more than it is following through, or so it seems.

I do think that Malcolm is evolving rather then reinventing himself at this point. I think as he learns more (and you are right that he is a very learned man) he is evolving and I am not sure I agree with Marable that he has reinvented himself at this point. I will be curious if he backs that up as the story wraps up. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter 10 Discussion Questions - pages 269 - 296

(view spoiler)[1. After Kennedy is assassinated, reporters ask Malcolm to comment and he likens the assassination to “the chickens coming home to roost.” What are your thoughts on this comment? What was his intention in this comment?

2. Malcolm begins to contemplate his life away from the Nation of Islam, should he split with them. He felt that the NOI is about religion, not politics/activism. He believed that leaving the NOI was “abandoning an entire spiritual geography”. What do you think of this statement?


Malcolm X in March 1964
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[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

(view spoiler)[Put Text Here (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Teri, thanks for the link on Farrakhan :)

[Teri]

Rachel wrote: "Teri, thanks for the link on Farrakhan :)"

You bet!

[Teri]

Message to the Grassroots

I have a more complete posting of this in the glossary but since this is a part of this week's reading, I wanted to post a quick link to the video/audio of this speech by Malcolm X here.

(view spoiler)[Message to the Grassroots
Video

Video/Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a59Kw...
Transcript: http://www.csun.edu/~hcpas003/grassro... (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Chapter 10 discussion question

(view spoiler)[

[1. After Kennedy is assassinated, reporters ask Malcolm to comment and he likens the assassination to “the chickens coming home to roost.” What are your thoughts on this comment? What was his intention in this comment?

Maybe he meant that all the crimes that white people have committed to Black people , that retribution is finally being paid back with Kennedy's assassination. Maybe in a way he was trying to reach those African Americans who were loyal to the Kennedy's ? (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter 11 Discussion Questions - pages 297 - 320

(view spoiler)[1. What specific aspects of the Nation of Islam, and of Elijah Muhammad, led to Malcolm's split with them?

2. Compare Malcolm's racial attitudes after his split with the Nation of Islam with that of the Black Muslims.


Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X
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[Teri]

Rachel wrote: "Chapter 10 discussion question"

Rachel -->"The chickens coming home to roost"

(view spoiler)[Malcolm was later asked to explain his intentions behind this statement but he made some contradictory statements. On one hand he seemed to be happy about the assassination basically saying "he had it coming" on the other hand he said he didn't at all mean he was happy about it but that Kennedy created the culture of hate (i.e. Vietnam, Bay of Pigs, etc.) and that it was not surprising that he was assassinated.

What seemed contradictory to me was that he seemed to make the assassination sound like it was racially motivated but then when pressed it sounded like he felt it was totally political.

Do you think that Kennedy was a good or bad president for the NOI? No civil rights legislation passed under his tenure and he opposed Eisenhower's 1957 legislation, but the NOI was against segregation. Thoughts? (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Malcolm X explaining his "The chickens coming home to roost" statement to the press

(view spoiler)[Video link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzuOO... (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Jovita wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Question on Louis Farrakhan"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[

I agree, I am not buying that Evelyn was the main catalyst why Malcolm and Elijah had a falling out either. I honestly don't think that he had that much attachment to Evelyn just by the way he treated her. I think it was more had to with his changing views on his politcs and he was seeing that Elijah was not the man he had thought he was. Plus I find it suspicious that after Malcolm's downfall it was Farrakhan who benefitted from it all. So I think that Farrakhan is trying make is honestly protect his own image which is to be expected. I was just on YT and was looking him and found a video of him talking about Malcolm x. Its a six part vid....so here is the first one.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_jFZ... (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Teri question on Kennedy

(view spoiler)[

Do you think that Kennedy was a good or bad president for the NOI?

I don't really think that he was a good President for the black community in general. I think he was more concerned about his political career then he was the black community. Like calling to get MLK out of jail- he knew that would be good politically in helping to get the black vote . He didn't do it because of the kindness of his heart. And it was really Johnson who pushed the civil rights bill not Kennedy. though Kennedy has been accredited for it. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter 12 Discussion Questions - pages 321 - 340

(view spoiler)[1. Discuss the difference between "segregation" and "separatism."

2. At the beginning of this chapter, Malcolm X's friend Herman Ferguson discussed his reasons for following Malcolm after his split from the NOI. It is stated that people like Ferguson were seeking an alternative to integration and King. What about Malcolm X at this juncture cause some former NOI members to follow him?


Picture of Herman Ferguson
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[Pamela]

Chapter 12 Discussion Questions

(view spoiler)[

Here's what I think the difference between the two means. In segregation, I keep you separate from me, particularly socially, yet I want you to work for me, participate in the political process somewhat (i.e. vote for me) but realize that I am in charge and you defer to me. In separatism, you go your way by having your own part of the country where you are completely in control of the infrastructure and keep to yourself socially by your own choice.

I think this is what Malcolm X meant later when he said that the black man was not seeking separatism or integration, but human dignity and respect. There was precious little of that for the black man under integration and under separatism, he wouldn't have needed it from anyone else as he could provide it for himself. Malcolm X was coming to think that in Islam that dignity and respect was a collective thing, available for everyman as his birthright. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Rachel wrote: "Teri question on Kennedy"

Rachel -->Kennedy, Johnson, and Civil Rights

(view spoiler)[Yes, Johnson was a proponent of Civil Rights and I think he often does not get his due on that subject. Kennedy may have gotten the ball rolling, but as you suggest, it likely was only for political gain.

I think that a majority of the black community did mourn JFK and considered him a positive President for them. They did see that he was working on Civil Rights bill(s) and he appointed Thurgood Marshall to the federal bench, although it was Johnson who appointed him to the Supreme Court. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Pamela wrote: "Chapter 12 Discussion Questions"

Pamela -->Segregation vs. Separation

(view spoiler)[Well said. I do think that as Malcolm forged deeper into orthodox Islam that he became an advocate for human rights and not just black rights. Although I think he continued to contradict himself at times. I do think that Malcolm made the same distinction you stated between segregation and separatism, but that everyone was due respect. (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Teri~ Kennedy/Johnson

(view spoiler)[

I agree, I don't think that Kennedy was totally bad . There was good stuff that he did. But I kind get a feeling that some of the things he did do was based on political motivation. I was just looking around and found this article on Kennedy's and civil rights. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexper... (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Rachel wrote: "Teri~ Kennedy/Johnson"

Rachel - Kennedy/Johnson

(view spoiler)[Awesome website. I love PBS. ;-) No, Kennedy was not bad, but I think you totally nailed it that he was mostly politically driven. I think if he had been able to get a second term in office he likely would have dealt with Civil Rights more, but at the time, he was just trying to quell tensions and make everyone happy. (hide spoiler)]

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Regarding JFK

(view spoiler)[He had Cuba and the Missile Crisis and that was bigger than anybody could have imagined - he had his hands full with Russia. (hide spoiler)]

[Pamela]

JFK and Civil Rights
(view spoiler)[
The Kennedys were extremely pragmatic politicians and, even though we think of him as a charismatic and popular President, JFK really wasn't at the time. He won by the slimmest of margins and was not at all popular in the South. This made it difficult for him to get any legislations passed and certainly not civil rights bills. Johnson, who knew where all the bodies were buried in Congress, got most of JFK's programs through. Also, as a Southerner, he was better able to move the South toward passing the Civil Rights Bill of '64. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Thank you for the discussion on JFK. He was just slightly before my time. :-)

[Teri]

Chapter 12 Discussion Questions - pages 341 - 359

(view spoiler)[1. Dick Gregory once stated that “Malcolm X is getting to be about the only man who can stop a race riot.” In the book notes from this quote, Marable says that Gregory grew parallels between Malcolm and the KKK. Do you think they had the same message? i.e. According to Gregory "The klan tells the negro - “Don’t fool with the white woman. Don't live in a white woman” Gregory said that Malcolm X said the same thing. What are your thoughts on this?

2. How do the attitudes of Alex Haley, M. S. Handler, and Ossie Davis toward Malcolm resemble one another? How do they differ?

3. This chapter discusses Malcolm's views on socialism. He states, “It’s impossible for a white person to believe in capitalism and not believe in racism.” What did you glean from Malcolm's views on socialism?


Malcolm X and Dick Gregory
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[Samanta]

Response Chapter Three Discussion Questions - Pages 70 - 99

(view spoiler)[1. How did Malcolm reinvent himself in prison? What and who do you think most influenced him during this time?

While in prison, Malcolm met John Elton Bembry, a self-educated older inmate, who saw something in him and decided to take him as his student. Malcolm started reading and learning and developing his oratory skills. At the same time, came the "invitation" to Islam. All of this helped shape what would become "Malcolm X".

2. What did you learn about the Islam faith during this chapter that you might not have known? What do you think might have drawn Malcolm to its tenets? Was it just because his family encouraged him to join?

I still do not know much about Islam, but the only thing I didn't know about was how the "House of War" term and belief came to be. I think that what drove Malcolm to it was not the religion itself, but NOI's connection with the Black Nationalism. I think he was more interested in that and Elijah knew how to sell his product to a self-absorbed youth with grandeur complex (my opinion of Malcolm X based on what I've read thus far). I think he also saw this as a way to secure himself a speedy departure from prison. (hide spoiler)]

[Samanta]

A comment on using religion to attract people

(view spoiler)[I was reading about the development of Black Islamic groups in U.S. in Chapter 3 and couldn't believe how the programs utterly missed the point of it all, but at the same time I could understand why it was so attractive to the Black community. It just goes to show the danger of organized religion or using the belief of people to promote your own agenda.

I am referring to selling the story that the white people were devils and that they came to exist by scientific experiments. That Christianity was the White religion and that Islam is the true Black religion, according to which you have to hate the White people. As I said, point totally missed. How can one claim that Islam is a peaceful religion and then claim that the other race is inferior and worthy of hate. They sound exactly the same as all those White Christians who considered Black people inferior and less than human. Again, I'm calling them out for being hypocrites. Malcolm too, considering his supposed relationship with a very much white Paul Lennon.

While reading these chapters, I'm thinking how our two biggest organized religions deviated from the original ideas and teachings and I'm thinking how both Jesus and Muhammad are "turning in their graves" from mortification. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter Overviews and Summaries
Week Four

(view spoiler)[Chapter 13 - “In the Struggle for Dignity” – July 11 – November 24, 1964

Malcolm visits Africa again and is an honored guest of several heads of state. He stayed for nearly five months hoping to form some strong alliances among the orthodox Islam leaders for his message of civil rights in the US. His stay was long mostly out of safety’s concern, as he feared for his life had he returned to the States. He was convinced that the NOI would have him assassinated. During his trip the MMI was admitted to the Islamic Federation of the United States and Canada and Malcolm was named to the Federation’s Board of Directors. This legitimized his cause but also gave another cause for concern with the NOI. Malcolm is formally accepted as a member of Islam and becomes a dignitary of several Islamic organizations. He continues to travel through Africa meeting with leaders and dignitaries.

Women per Malcolm in the OAAU should have an equal role to men. This outraged some men. OAAU and MMI begin to drift apart. Betty and Charles 37X Morris (Kenyatta) develop a close bond in Malcolm’s absence. In his final days overseas he struggles to preach a new message but shows more tolerance including supporting interracial marriage. He arrives home in New York at the same time as a rescue attempt is made against Congolese rebels in Stanelyville. Malcolm blames President Johnson and once again uses the analogy of “the chickens coming home to roost.”


In 1964, Malcolm X made a tour across Africa visiting many of the countries vying for independence against colonial rule.

Chapter 14 – "Such a Man Is Worthy of Death" - November 24, 1964 – February 14, 1965

The OAAU has a Homecoming Rally for Malcom once he returns to the states. Malcolm quickly leaves again and visits the UK. On his return he learns of Betty’s affair with Charles 37X Morris (Kenyatta). Malcolm extends an invitation for Che Guevara to come speak in Harlem, he turns him down but offers a word of solidarity. Malcolm has his own affair. Death threats and retaliation by the NOI toward Malcolm and his MMI brotherhood begin to strengthen. Malcolm encourages Muhammad’s son Akbar to stand against his dad and NOI, causing an almost international campaign against the NOI. Many attempts are made on his life. Malcolm take a final trip to the UK and is barred from France. Malcolm’s home is bombed.


One week before his slaying, Malcolm X steps from his car in front of his fire-bombed house in East Elmhurst on Sunday Feb. 14.

Chapter 15 – Death Comes on Time – February 14 – February 21, 1965

Malcolm goes to Detroit. Fingers are pointed at who might have bombed Malcolm’s home. Malcolm vacates the home on the eve of his eviction. Malcolm seems remorseful over some of his past sins. Betty and Malcolm look for a home in an integrated area of Long Island. Malcolm goes alone to stay at a hotel in NYC. Marable lays out the different groups that possibly were planning to assassinate Malcolm X and the reasons for the plan. The FBI and CIA infiltrate the groups and keep a close eye on them and Malcolm. Benjamin Brown – a former NOI member going out on his own is assassinated. Many friends and associates tried to convince Malcolm to hide in safe areas/houses. Foreign governments offered to provide him safe haven. Marable recounts the events of the day of Malcolm’s assassination and the immediate aftermath.


Malcolm is wheeled out of the Audubon Ballroom on a stretcher, escorted by NYPD,

Chapter 12 – Life After Death

Malcolm’s body is autopsied. A grand jury rules that Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler, and Thomas 15X Johnson had “willfully, feloniously and of malice aforethought” killed Malcolm X. Many people pointing fingers at who was behind the assassination. Mosque No. 7 is firebombed. Elijah Muhammad speaks at the Saviour’s Day Convention, speaking against Malcolm X. Malcolm's brothers Wilfred and Philbert also denounce Malcolm. Malcolm’s body lays in state. Malcolm’s funeral is held at the Faith Temple Church in West Harlem. MMI / OAAU men buried Malcom instead of the white men employed by the cemetery. James 67X tries to keep the MMI alive but eventually Ella Collins, Malcolm’s sister takes over OAAU and MMI. James later disappeared. Johnson, Hayer, and Butler go to trial and are all convicted of first-degree murder. The Autobiography of Malcolm X is published. James 67X moved to Guyana for a while but later returns to the US. Louis Farrakhan takes Malcolm’s place and eventually Elijah Muhammad’s as leader of the Nation of Islam.


Mourning: Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's wife, stands in the front during his funeral.

Epilogue - Reflections on a Revolutionary Vision

Malcolm’s legacy is recounted by Marable.


Statue of Malcolm X in Harlem, NY.
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[Teri]

Week Four Questions - Malcolm's Changing Ideology

(view spoiler)[1. How does Malcolm X’s understanding of racial identity change over the course of his life? Consider the different phases of Malcolm’s life.

2. How does Malcolm X’s view of white people change over the course of his life, and why? Consider the different phases of Malcolm’s life.


"Audubon Ballroom" by Los Angeles-based artist Mukhtar Kaissi depicts a bust of Malcolm X floating near warped figures such as Tupac.
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[Teri]

Samanta wrote: "Response Chapter Three Discussion Questions - Pages 70 - 99"

Samanta -->Malcolm and the NOI - Chapter 3

(view spoiler)[You bring up a great point. Malcolm was certainly looking to fill a void and the right person came to him at the right time and Islam and the teachings of Muhammad seemed to resonate with him. He felt that it was Elijah Muhammad that saved him from death. Had he not followed Islam, he felt that he would have died, eventually, be it from drugs or a life of crime. How can you not feel loyal to a person that saves you from your self? That will be important going forward. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Samanta wrote: "A comment on using religion to attract people"

Samanta -->Religion to Attract People

(view spoiler)[Good points and questions. There are the orthodox religions and then the fundamentalist extremist sects of a religion. The fundamentalist off-shoots of religions follow the literal text / tenets of their religion. I think many of them find it hard to follow and somehow justify their actions against the scriptures/tenets. Like my comment about Malcolm in the previous post about chapter 3, the people that follow these sects are often looking to fill some void in their lives. The leaders seem to find that void and prey on it. The leaders generally have their own crutch and have a need to be god like.

I think the core tenets of both Christianity and Islam have not changed and both follow a path of love and peace. It is the followers that go astray from those core beliefs that you have to keep an eye on. For Malcolm, you will find in later chapters, that he learns more about orthodox Islam. Then we will discuss his views, if they change, and who the hypocrites are then.

Yes, many have strayed from the teachings of Muhammad and Jesus, and yet proclaim to be true followers. So far so as to start wars. (hide spoiler)]

[Samanta]

Response to Teri on message 188

(view spoiler)[Yes, the core tenets have not changed, but I wonder how many people actually follow those, and there are so too many people you have to "keep an eye on".

I still hope to change my current opinion on Malcolm, and I hope later chapters manage to help me with that issue. Despite that, I do wonder what I would thing and how I would feel if I found myself in that time, under those circumstances, listening to him. I cannot say that I would never have followed him, because I just don't know how I would react. I would have liked to hear him speak in person. Regardless of what I think of him, I feel it would have left a powerful impression on me. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Samanta wrote: "Response to Teri on message 188"

Samanta --> On the charismatic Malcolm X

(view spoiler)[And that is why we are reading about Malcolm and why he is still an enigmatic person today. While many would not follow him then, or now, he was a charismatic man that made a person listen. He could relate to the common black person at that time. He could express the feelings and rage many had in a time of civil rights. They may not have agreed with his way of handling the situation but they could relate to the feelings he expressed.

I would have liked to have seen him in person myself. Luckily we at least have videos on YouTube to watch.

I look forward to your comments as you move through the book and see if your impression of him changes. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Hello everyone. We are moving into the last chapters of Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention this week. The active discussion will actually continue through next Tuesday, May 31st, so there is still plenty of time to join in and to get caught up with the reading. It has been a lot to absorb.

I've posted some initial questions to this last section of the book, and as always, I welcome other comments and questions. I finally watched the movie this weekend, although I have not read his autobiography. I'll post some questions on the movie a bit later, for those who have seen it.

by Malcolm X

[Samanta]

Response to Chapter Four Discussion Questions - Pages 100 - 130

(view spoiler)[1. What are your impressions of Elijah Muhammad?

A man who likes the taste of power and who likes to have prodigies in his flock until they start shadowing him with their prominence. After reading this chapter, I feel I know why Malcolm "had" to die.

3. What do you think contributes to his disillusionment toward the end of this chapter?

The constant struggle to attract new members, fallibility of the existing ones and the continuing less than stellar position of African Americans in U.S. I am feeling another reinvention in the air...the one of the real civil rights' activist. (hide spoiler)]

[Pamela]

Response to Samanta

(view spoiler)[
That's a good summation of Elijah Mohammed, Savannah. I think he liked Malcolm X's prominence fine as long as he was bringing in new recruits. He got fed up with it when he was overshadowed. I'm still trying to make up my mind whether or not Elijah Muhammed was only in it because of the money it brought him or whether he really believed all the strange things he was saying. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Response to Samanta and Pamela - Elijah Muhammad

(view spoiler)[I think that Elijah may have believed some form of what he was thinking but I believe the ultimate driver was not just the money itself, but was the drive to be a leader of the blacks in America. I think it was power that drove him. When he saw that Malcolm could overtake that, it sent him packing. If he truly believe in the tenets of Islam, he would have been open to the teaching of orthodox Islam. His views really didn't change after his own trip to the Middle East. (hide spoiler)]

[Samanta]

Response to Pamela and Teri

(view spoiler)[Teri said it all :) Power is seductive and it corrupts. Ask our politicians. I'm sure they'll confirm it. :D (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

Chapter 13 Questions - pages 360 - 387

(view spoiler)[1. During Malcolm's extended stay in Africa, his rhetoric and views begin to change or perhaps evolved. This seemed to cause some heartache for James who was minding things in the US with the MMI and OAAU. Did Malcolm undermine his own platform?

2. Did Malcolm go through another reinvention or evolution while in Africa? What do you consider to be his biggest change while there?


Malcolm X Ghana, May 1964 (Photo: Laurence Henry) (hide spoiler)]

[Jovita]

My Responses to the Remaining Week 3 Discussion Questions

(view spoiler)[ 1. Malcolm confronts Elijah Muhammad over his affairs. Muhammad does not focus on them during their meeting, using biblical past to justify his behavior. How did this meeting and the handling of Muhammad's private affairs affect Malcolm X? Discuss the influence of Elijah Muhammad upon Malcolm.

I think the revelation that Elijah Muhammad was an imperfect man, capable of violating his own code of ethics, greatly affected Malcolm. He hero-worshiped Muhammad, and the idea of the man he believed to be the earthly embodiment of Allah himself committing such acts caused him to doubt everything else he had been taught within the NOI. I think his discovery of the affairs and the falling out with Muhammad was what allowed him to consider that he may have the wrong understanding of both Islam and civil rights, and led to his evolution in both his spiritual and political thought.


2. “Malcolm had always taught that every two thousand years or so, the scriptures change. A new messenger is needed, because that which has preceded has become corrupt.” – James 67X. Do think Malcolm felt he was the new messenger? What do you feel is changing in the doctrine that he is preaching?

I never got the impression from that he considered himself to be the next messenger, or that he had any selfish desire to be seen as a spiritual leader or deity. I feel that he was beginning to see the fault in the NOI belief that the white man as a whole was irredeemable, incapable of working towards the goal of equality for all men, and that the only path to true freedom for blacks was a separate society. He is starting to see that different races can coexist, so long as all people are afforded the same rights and opportunities.


1. Compare Malcolm's approach to the racial problem with that of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The core difference, in my opinion, is that Malcolm represented the anger of black people at the time, a natural reaction to centuries of abuse and oppression. That anger made him less amenable to the idea of non-violence, which, of course, was King’s approach to affecting social change.


2. At an October 1963 rally that Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad spoke at, Muhammad announces Malcolm as his new National Representative: “This is my most faithful, hard-working minister...he will follow me until he dies.” What do you think Muhammad was trying to accomplish? Do think this he felt this was a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

As I discussed in a previous response, I believe there was true love and affection between these two men, so much so that, even when their breakup became inevitable, it was difficult for either of the two to suddenly switch gears and throw dirt at the other. The relationship was very nuanced, in it took some time (and the influences of others) to really make these two begin to see one another as a true enemy.

1. After Kennedy is assassinated, reporters ask Malcolm to comment and he likens the assassination to “the chickens coming home to roost.” What are your thoughts on this comment? What was his intention in this comment?


From what we’ve read of Malcolm so far, he seems to have often suffered from diarrhea of the mouth. He was very passionate and easily caught up in the moment, which often resulted in his putting his foot in his mouth. I think this is one of those times. He said it without thinking about how it would be construed. I think he definitely believed that Kennedy/government in general created the political environment that led to the assassination of the president, but I don’t know that he was actually celebratory either. I think it was a spur-of-the-moment, un-PC statement that the press really ran with.


2. Malcolm begins to contemplate his life away from the Nation of Islam, should he split with them. He felt that the NOI is about religion, not politics/activism. He believed that leaving the NOI was “abandoning an entire spiritual geography”. What do you think of this statement?

I think Malcolm was keenly aware of how his exit from the NOI would effect his entire philosophy and identity as both a Muslim and a political figure. He had his doubts about some of the NOI’s teaching along the way, and the split allowed him to give credence to those doubts, to explore the areas that he had questions about, and to completely flesh out his understanding of Islam and what it meant to be black and Muslim in America. This was no small feat, and I think he knew he would never be the same man, or view things in the same way, ever again.

1. Discuss the difference between "segregation" and "separatism." To me, the difference lies in who is doing the separating. I view segregation as the pushing away, or rejection of one group by another. In contrast, separatism would be the willful decision to separate oneself from another group. I believe blacks at this time would see the define the difference by their level of dignity and choice in the matter. Segregation would be viewed as something that happened to them, against their will, whereas separatism would be viewed as a conscious choice to break away from their oppressor.


2. At the beginning of this chapter, Malcolm X's friend Herman Ferguson discussed his reasons for following Malcolm after his split from the NOI. It is stated that people like Ferguson were seeking an alternative to integration and King. What about Malcolm X at this juncture cause some former NOI members to follow him?

There were various reasons for former NOI members to follow Malcolm. Many left out of a sense of deep loyalty. Malcolm had been a figurehead and spiritual leader within the NOI, and Mosque No. 7 in particular, for so long, that many felt a deeper loyalty to him than to Muhammad. Many began to doubt Mohammad after the rumors of his sexual improprieties came to light. Some, like Malcolm, were frustrated by the seeming lack of response by the NOI to the civil rights issues of the time. (hide spoiler)]

[Teri]

I came across this interesting article tonight and thought I'd share:

Centuries-Old Artifacts Discovered Beneath Malcolm X's Childhood Home
By Megan Gannon, Live Science Contributor | May 24, 2016 04:02pm ET


In May 2016, ahead of planned restoration work at the Malcolm X House in Boston, excavators conducted an archaeological investigation.
Credit: City of Boston Archaeology Program

The boyhood home of influential black activist Malcolm X has turned out to be a fascinating archaeological site.

An excavation at the house in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood ended last week. In trenches around the home's foundations, archaeologists unearthed thousands of artifacts, including a vinyl record of American folk songs from the 1950s, as well as toys and housewares from Malcolm's lifetime. They also discovered the remains of a previously unknown 18th-century home.

The house, located at 72 Dale Street, was built in 1874 and has been owned by Malcolm's family since the 1940s. Malcolm lived there with his older half sister Ella Little-Collins after his father died and his mother was institutionalized. Rodnell Collins — Ella's son, who owns the house today — plans to restore the home, possibly to turn it into apartments for graduate students studying civil rights, social justice or African-American history, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. But before work could begin on the foundation, archaeologists had to conduct an investigation because of the home's landmark status.

"One of our first surprises was that there was a lot more from Malcolm and Ella's time period than we thought there was going to be," said Joe Bagley, an archaeologist with Boston's City Archaeology Lab who finished digging Friday (May 20). One of the reasons for this, Bagley suspects, is that in the 1970s, the home was vacant and it was vandalized. The windows were broken, and a lot of the home's contents were tossed out and left in the yard. That was bad for the house, but good for archaeology, Bagley said.

"I wish it hadn't happened, but we're recovering a lot of materials that were in the house that the family hadn't seen since the looting in the '70s," Bagley told Live Science, adding that Rodnell Collins has been able to identify toys that he played with and pieces of his mother's mixing bowl. "What I think we're really going to find is, Ella's story more than Malcolm's story here. She was the one who bought most of the materials in the house."

Before Ella bought the house, at least three different families of Irish descent lived at 72 Dale Street, but they left little trace in the archaeological record, Bagley said. Surprisingly, the excavators discovered a foundation for a previously unknown structure and a hoard of artifacts from the 18th century, including clay wig curlers and expensive ceramics that indicate there was a wealthy person's home there more than 200 years ago.

"We're finding thousands of artifacts from at least 100 years before the house was built," Bagley said. "All of our research indicates that there was no previous house on this property at all. So despite what the records say, there's definitely another house here."

Bagley's team also has been using social media to crowdsource, in real time, information about mystery artifacts found on the site. For example, they posted a picture of a broken gold, plastic disc found at the site, and within minutes, someone had identified it as a trading stamp token from a store called Sav-A Coin in South Carolina.

"That would have taken me forever to identify," Bagley said.
(Source: Live Science)

[Teri]

Jovita wrote: "My Responses to the Remaining Week 3 Discussion Questions."

Jovita -->Week 3 Questions

(view spoiler)[Very well said, Jovita. Reading through the comments, it came across as a very good portrait of Malcolm X. I think the main point is that Malcolm was really talking for the black masses that were angry with their overall treatment and lack of respect. Most did not agree with the tactics he condoned but they listened to him and knew that he understood them.

Your descriptions of segregation and separatism was spot on, I think. It is about who is in control and I think that was what Malcolm was trying to convey.

It is sad that Malcolm and Elijah had to break their bond. I suspect that Malcolm felt like he lost his father again. That had to be a hard blow to him, don't you think? Do you think there was always a void he was trying to fill?(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Samanta]

Teri wrote: "I came across this interesting article tonight and thought I'd share:

Centuries-Old Artifacts Discovered Beneath Malcolm X's Childhood Home
By Megan Gannon, Live Science Contributor | May 24, 201..."

So interesting! I love archaeology.