Malcolm XHAPPY BIRTHDAY, MALCOLM XWith his 85th birthday celebration this week, his message resonates as boldly as they did 50 years ago
By Evan Barnes, Sentinel Sports Editorand Nicholas P. Quarles, Sentinel Intern
45 years after his death, Malcolm X remains one of the most captivating figures of the 20th century and his impact among Black people worldwide remains as vital as it did in the 1950's and 60's.
He also remains among one of the most misunderstood individuals of the 20th century. A man whose fiery, unapologetic persona overshadowed the eloquence he shared in articulating the Black struggle in America and then worldwide.
To Black people, Malcolm he remains the shining prince that the late actor Ossie Davis spoke of at his eulogy. To White people and others today, he epitomizes standing for what you believe and not letting the powers that be dictate how you should live.
May 19 would have been his 85h birthday and we'll take a look at reasons why his message remains as alive as ever.
PRISON ISN'T THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING IF YOU CHOOSE
Malcolm spent six years in prison for larceny and burglary. Unlike many activists and leaders, he was sentenced for criminal behavior and being a wayward youth.
While in jail, he was mentored by a fellow prisoner and it was there he began to change from Malcolm Little, the convict, to Malcolm X, the leader and future member of the Nation of Islam.
He read more, devoted himself to the teaching of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and when he was released, he was ready to act on his conversion.
How many people have read his story and found inspiration to not let their past define them? For many, he represents the everyday man who realizes he could be greater than he was.
He remains an example of 'it's-not-how-you-start-your-life but how you change it.' We can see that in reformed criminals who distance themselves from their past and work to help others avoid it.
SPEAKING BOLDLY WITHOUT FEAR
Not since the legendary figure Marcus Garvey had someone been so vocal without calling for accommodation. Malcolm X was a leader who stood tall (6 feet, 3 inches) and spoke with no fear.
For years since the Civil War, Black people protested how they were treated in America. Those who dared being abrasive faced being lynched or run out of the country like Marcus Garvey.
With the country's mood starting to change in the 1950's, Malcolm's voice carried on the messages of Garvey and W.E.B. Dubois, and it struck a chord with people tired of waiting for change.
A gifted orator, he attacked racism by confronting it more head on. He openly denounced America and its crimes against Black people. He also advocated that Blacks should be more self-sufficient in improving their communities.
His message was simple. The days of sitting back and waiting for change were over. It was time for Black people to not just demand better, but make themselves better as well.
"Education is our passport to the future," he said, "For tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."
He demanded that Black people know their history, calling it as essential as any other educational ideal. His way with words and his message inspired many to join the Nation of Islam, and better themselves.
The idea of self-sufficiency was inspiring to Black people who had already lived this motto for nearly a century since freedom. His abrasive talk laid the seeds for the student and Black Power movements in the next decade.
By the early 1960's, his voice may have scared mainstream America and the more conservative civil rights leaders, but his influence was undeniable. The New York Times named Malcolm the second-most sought after speaker throughout the country.
MOVE WITH THE WINDS OF CHANGE BUT DO NOT LET IT CHANGE YOU
After his break from the Nation of Islam and a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964, the world became a bigger stage. No longer did he rail against the evils of White people but instead he sought to be a unifier for universal human rights.
Before he left for Mecca, he made his famous "Ballot or the Bullet" speech - advocating that Black peo