May 21, 2021
Celebrating Malcolm X
On May 19, 1925, Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was an African-American Islamic leader during the Civil Rights Movement. He changed his name to Malcolm X from Malcolm Little to honor his solidarity within the Muslim community and move away from white influence.

His natural leadership skills and superb oratory skills helped him achieve national prominence. His presence in the Civil Rights Movement was instrumental; Malcolm promoted strategies that empowered African-Americans to demand equal rights.
 
During Malcolm’s first eight years as a minister for the Nation of Islam (NOI), it grew from 400 members in 1952 to over 40,000 members by 1960. He left the NOI in March of 1964. Four months after leaving the NOI, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed and Malcolm delivered one of his more famous speeches, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, calling for African-Americans to use their voting rights intelligently while warning the U.S. government that the promise of equality, if not kept, may result in revolution for equality. That same year, Malcolm began moving towards Black unity and the fight for Human Rights through the founding of the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). He used the OAAU as a way to unify all people of African origin and to increase the fight for human rights.
His fierce advocacy and fight for civil and human rights put him at odds with the government and the white establishment. However, he was beloved by African-Americans and Africans abroad. Malcolm demanded equality “by any means necessary” and he felt all people deserve to be treated equally and fairly.  

At the time of Malcolm’s assassination on February 19, 1965, he was actively pursuing Human Rights violations to be filed against the Unites States of America for the treatment of African-Americans. He compared the systemic racism and oppression of the African-American population within the US to be similar to, if not worse than, the apartheid state in South Africa.
 
“I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation.”
— Malcolm X
 
Malcolm X was an inspiration for many and was described as one of the most influential African Americans in history. His legacy lives on with the same passion for social justice. The same Human Rights concerns that he fought for in 1964 remain a consistent fight today.
 
#DEIatCTI #malcolmx #malcolmxday #civilrightsmovement #socialjustice #blacklivesmatter
 
Please watch:
 
Malcolm X’s Speech Addressing Police Brutality  2 minutes                                  
 
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Debate  7 minutes