May 19, 2025
On what would have been his 100th birthday, we remember a man whose evolving vision of self-determination and liberation remains a powerful and necessary voice in our ongoing pursuit of a more just and equitable world.
Born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, the man who would evolve into the globally influential Malcolm X and later El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz remains a pivotal figure in the ongoing pursuit of Black liberation.
As we approach what would have been his 100th birthday, his incisive critique of systemic racism and his unwavering call for self-determination strike with profound urgency in today’s deeply divided racial landscape.
From a childhood scarred by the overt white supremacy that resulted in the burning of his family’s Michigan home (and the suspected Klan murder of his father, Earl Little) to his transformative engagement with the Nation of Islam (NOI) and his eventual embrace of Sunni Islam, Malcolm’s journey offers enduring insights for a world still grappling with the pervasive realities of racial injustice.
Malcolm’s early years were a stark testament to the virulent racism embedded within American society. The Little family’s eviction from their Lansing home due to a discriminatory restrictive covenant and the authorities’ indifference to the arson that destroyed their dwelling laid bare the systemic devaluation of Black lives. These foundational traumas, compounded by the state’s subsequent removal of the children following his mother Louise’s descent into mental illness, forged within young Malcolm a keen awareness of racial oppression.
His time incarcerated, commencing in 1946, became an unexpected catalyst for intellectual growth. Under the influence of a fellow inmate known as “Bimbi,” Malcolm embarked on a rigorous program of self-education. During this period, his newfound brother introduced him to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the NOI. Shedding the surname “Little,” which he viewed as a vestige of slavery, he adopted “X,” symbolizing the lost ancestral name and the forging of a new identity rooted in Black consciousness. Initially dismayed by the NOI’s limited growth, with a nationwide membership of around 400, Malcolm spearheaded an intensive recruitment drive with Elijah Muhammad’s blessing, leading to a significant surge in membership.
As a charismatic minister and the national voice of the NOI, Malcolm X articulated a powerful challenge to the prevailing racial order. His potent oratory, advocating for Black self-defense “by any means necessary,” contrasted sharply with the nonviolent strategies of the mainstream Civil Rights Movement.
The NOI’s rapid expansion, reaching approximately 40,000 members under his influence and supporting 49 temples, demonstrated the power of his message to many Black Americans who felt marginalized and excluded from the promises of equality. The establishment of Muhammad Speaks, the NOI’s newspaper, further disseminated his uncompromising critique of white supremacy.
However, Malcolm’s intellectual and spiritual evolution continued. His transformative pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964 marked a profound shift in his understanding of race and Islam. Witnessing Muslims of diverse backgrounds worshipping harmoniously led him to embrace Sunni Islam and adopt the name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
Simultaneously, he founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI) in March 1964, a religious organization grounded in traditional Islam, and the secular Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) in June 1964, advocating for Pan-Africanism and Black self-determination, drawing inspiration from the unified political voice of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Malcolm’s ideological evolution did not dilute his commitment to Black liberation but broadened its scope. He began to frame the struggle for racial justice in the United States within a global context of anti-colonialism and human rights. His efforts to bring the grievances of African Americans before the United Nations reflected this expanded worldview. As he stated after his Hajj, he witnessed in Mecca “pilgrims of all colors from all parts of this earth displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood like I’ve never seen before.”
The experience informed his belief that a “bloodless revolution” in America was possible.
Today, nearly six decades after his assassination on February 21, 1965, Malcolm X’s legacy carries a renewed and vital significance. In an era marked by persistent and often stark racial disparities, his demand for genuine equality and self-determination reverberates with pressing urgency. For instance, data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2021 indicated that Black individuals accounted for approximately 33% of the incarcerated population in state and federal prisons, despite making up only about 13.6% of the U.S. population. This stark overrepresentation underscores the systemic issues Malcolm so vehemently critiqued.
Furthermore, the ongoing national conversations surrounding racial bias in policing, as evidenced by numerous high-profile cases, echo Malcolm’s condemnation of police brutality following the assault on Johnson Hinton in 1957. His assertion of the right to self-defense in the face of state-sanctioned violence finds contemporary force in movements advocating for police reform and accountability.
The debates surrounding the teaching of Black history and the pushback against initiatives promoting diversity, equity and inclusion highlight the continued relevance of Malcolm’s insistence on historical truth and the need for Black-led institutions, a key tenet of the OAAU. His emphasis on education as a means of empowerment and the importance of African Americans controlling their own narratives remain crucial elements in the fight against systemic racism. As he articulated at the OAAU founding conference, rejecting pejorative terms and embracing self-defined identities are essential for genuine progress.
The increasing awareness of global Black solidarity and the interconnectedness of struggles against oppression worldwide also aligns with the Pan-African vision of the OAAU. Malcolm’s understanding that the fight for Black liberation in America was intrinsically linked to the liberation struggles on the African continent continues to empower contemporary movements advocating for racial justice on a global scale.
Malcolm X’s enduring legacy lies in his intellectual courage, unwavering commitment to justice, and capacity for transformative growth. He was a leader who challenged not only the external forces of oppression but also the internal limitations imposed by systemic racism.
On what would have been his 100th birthday, we remember a man whose evolving vision of self-determination and liberation remains a powerful and necessary voice in our ongoing pursuit of a more just and equitable world.
Inshallah.
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