The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is among the most celebrated in the nation’s history, but as we celebrate the birthdate of Malcolm X, we should also know that Malcolm too had a dream. He had a dream of justice and self-determination for his people that was free of violence, with ideals and principles. He dreamed of equal access to education, tolerance, consensus-building, and, above all, fairness.
Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1964 he changed his name to Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz, to signify his rejection of his “slave” name after he visited the Holy City of Mecca.
Although Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm had different opinions on integration and segregation, they initially struggled for the same objective. That goal was peace, freedom and equal rights, particularly and specifically for black and other oppressed people.
During the ‘60s, Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach using non-violence attracted more people to the Civil Rights Movement because Malcolm incorporated the richness of black history and culture, while completely rejecting white society and their subjugation and brutality.
King urged his followers to bestow Christian love on white racists who abused them. Malcolm memorably asserted that blacks should seek any means necessary to achieve justice. At one time in history, this was a part of Malcolm’s dream.
Dr. Kenneth R. Conklin reminds us that in the 1960s black people began saying, “I’m black, and proud of it.” But that pride was more an aspiration than a reality. To create a sense of separate identity and pride, black people began adopting African cultural customs, Muslim religion and newly-created holidays celebrating their African heritage.
The Nation of Islam, under inspiration from Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, began to demand the creation of a racially separatist independent Nation of New Africa. But with increasing affluence and equality, most black people followed the path of Martin Luther King toward full integration and began calling themselves African Americans.
Malcolm had many dreams. He said, “Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds. I have always kept an open mind, a flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of the intelligent search for truth.”
Malcolm did not trust the press. He said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
He told us that “power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression, because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.”
And let us not forget some of his more profound words: “If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary. If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”
Yes, Minister Malcolm had many dreams. He knew that people of color must unite with a single purpose to attain freedom and peace, so he sought wisdom and knowledge through dreams, visions, fasting and prayer. Very few individuals are able to make such a significant contribution to their communities that they can claim much credit for its power and glory. Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz did.
Happy Birthday, Brother Malcolm. May your legacy live on.
Please watch the Bernie Hayes TV program Saturday Night at 10pm and Friday morning at 9 am and Sunday evenings at 5:30 pm on KNLC-TV Ch. 24, and follow me on Twitter: @berhay and view my blog http://berniehayesunderstands.blogspot.com/. I can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369 or e-mail at: berhay@swbell.net.
