Malcolm X at 100: A Legacy of Liberation And Black Dignity

On May 19, 2025, the world commemorates the centennial birth anniversary of Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, an uncompromising voice of liberation, truth, and dignity for Black people across the globe. One hundred years after his birth in Omaha, Nebraska, his life and ideas remain a beacon for those who challenge oppression and dare to reimagine a just world.

A Life Forged in Fire and Resistance

Malcolm’s early life was marked by racial terror and personal trauma. The son of Earl Little, a Garveyite preacher, and Louise Norton Little, a strong Grenadian woman, Malcolm was no stranger to white supremacist violence. His father’s suspicious death and the state’s institutional dismantling of his family shaped his early encounters with systemic racism. A gifted student, he was told by a teacher to forget about being a lawyer—because he was Black. That moment, he later reflected, killed his spirit in school.

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From Prison to Purpose

Incarcerated in 1946 for burglary, Malcolm transformed behind bars, reading voraciously and joining the Nation of Islam (NOI). Upon his release, he dropped his “slave name” and became Malcolm X, symbolizing both personal rebirth and a rejection of white-imposed identity. Under the mentorship of Elijah Muhammad, he rose rapidly through NOI ranks, building temples, growing the membership, and capturing national attention.

By the late 1950s, he was the face of Black Muslim activism in America, unapologetically calling out white America for centuries of systemic abuse. His fiery oratory, seen in programs like “The Hate That Hate Produced”, made him both feared and revered.

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A Radical Evolution: From Nationalism to Pan-Africanism

Though once critical of the mainstream Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm’s worldview evolved drastically. Disillusioned by the Nation’s internal politics and Elijah Muhammad’s personal failings, Malcolm split from NOI in 1964, founding the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU)—a political body modeled on the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

A pivotal journey to Africa and the Middle East, culminating in his pilgrimage to Mecca, revolutionized his understanding of global Black solidarity and Islam. Now known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Malcolm embraced a broader vision of human rights over civil rights, connecting the African American struggle with anti-colonial movements around the world.

The Bullet That Tried to Silence a Movement

On February 21, 1965, just as he was preparing to address his supporters at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, Malcolm X was assassinated in front of his wife and children. Three Nation of Islam members were convicted, but decades later, in 2021, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam were exonerated, after revelations that the FBI and NYPD withheld evidence.

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His death, preceded by threats, surveillance, and betrayal, marked one of the most painful chapters in Black history. Yet, his legacy could not be buried. Ossie Davis, who delivered his eulogy, declared:

“He was our shining Black Prince…who didn’t hesitate to die because he loved us so.”

The Legacy of Malcolm X

Malcolm X’s influence transcends time. He raised the self-esteem of Black Americans, reconnected them with their African heritage, and introduced Islam to thousands. His commitment to truth, self-determination, and dignity reshaped American discourse on race and power.

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His speeches—especially “Message to the Grass Roots”, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, and his global addresses—remain foundational texts for radical thought. Though he left no academic treatises, his philosophy, compiled in The Autobiography of Malcolm X (with Alex Haley), has inspired generations and was named by Time Magazine as one of the most influential books of the 20th century.

From the Black Power Movement, Black Arts Movement, to today’s global calls for justice, Malcolm X’s fingerprints are everywhere. His influence stretches even into pop culture—from hip-hop group Public Enemy to the film Black Panther, where the character Killmonger echoes Malcolm’s intensity and clarity.

Commemoration and Continued Relevance

Today, streets, schools, and institutions across America bear his name. His former residence in Boston is a historic landmark. His birthday, May 19, is commemorated in cities like Berkeley, California, and Washington, D.C.

MUST READ: 𝟮𝟱 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂 – 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆!

But more than monuments, Malcolm’s truest legacy is the fire he lit in generations of activists, thinkers, and truth-tellers. In an era of resurgent racial injustice, neocolonialism, and global inequality, his call to action “by any means necessary” remains chillingly relevant.

Malcolm X at 100: The Dream Continues

El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was not merely a man. He was a movement. A mirror. A megaphone for the voiceless. On this 100th anniversary, we do not mourn a martyr. We celebrate a man who dared to dream of Black freedom, dignity, and global solidarity.

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May we, in our time, listen to Brother Malcolm, touch his words, carry forward his truth, and, above all, honor the best in ourselves.