MALCOLM X May 19 1925 - February 21 1965 Malcolm X, a lot has been said about the man as witnessed by the numerous books written. All of the books, with the exception of one, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, penned by Alex Haley, is based on hearsay, conjecture and opinions. There are too, a lot of Internet sites devoted to Malcolm. Most of them are of the historical nature, while some of them were inspired by the "love" for him. I fall into the latter category.
For me, my first introduction of Malcolm came when I was 7 years of age. It was 1963, the year that John Kennedy was assassinated. My uncle (who was more like a father to me) had taken me, as we often did, to this dining hall by the name of Father Divines. I recall being sadden by the death of Kennedy and had been crying throughout that day.
Malcolm X
MALCOLM CONGOO
Haley in the United States Coast Guard, 1939When we arrived at the hall, one of the elders came up to me and said that he had heard from my uncle that I had been crying over the death of the president and he asked me "why"? I do not recall my exact words but I know that they weren't many, because I really didn't know why? Perhaps because the whole world was crying? Whatever my answer was, it prompted the elder to take me into a room to listen to a "black man" he said, "that he knows will change my life forever". That man was Malcolm X! And as prophetic as it might appear, the elder was right.
From that point on, I could not get enough of him. And as I grew older, I looked to him for strength, guidance, wisdom and understanding. Every word he said, I clung onto like a newborn to its' mother. His footsteps are those that I follow. His heartbeat is that which I hear. For like the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and before him, Master Fard, he was chosen to raise my people from the depths by which we were plunged. He was chosen to "go after the young people". And that he did. He found me. A little seven year old who had a lot of questions but was getting no answers. Three decades has passed since his murder, and the answers are ringing louder in my ears. Each one MUST reach one! Each one MUST teach one!
MALCOLM WEBSTER
MALCOLM CONGOO
MALCOLM CONGOO