Malcolm X Effect: African American Consciousness

Malcolm X Effect Afri empennage the Statesn ConsciousnessChange has come to America, were the celebrated words roundn by Barak Obama, the starting time Afri fucking American President. No angiotensin-converting enzyme in the 1960s would waste ever thought that an African American president would be in office nor that an African American would be the highest earning woman in America. Many pot tend to credit Martin Luther King (MLK) for much(prenominal) shift, however their credit should go to Malcolm X. Malcolm X was an African American leader, orator and is at present a cultural icon. During the time when Malcolm was alive, he had a lot of opposition. mainly all sectors of flannel society opposed him, even some African Americans, as they felt that he was too radical, and differed to the peaceful measures of MLK. However, more(prenominal) recent historiography of Malcolm X is shifted towards a more biased and positive conception. This could be because it is African America ns who write the majority of the historiography of Malcolm X. Thus, suggesting that Malcolm X is a more popular topic and key code to their heritage or it could be that White Historians do non want to admit past failures regarding race. This positive conception of Malcolm X is mirrored through the African American populists3. Magnus O. Basseys, Malcolm X and African American Self-Consciousness struggles that Malcolm exposed the terrible psychological consequences of pitch-black self-hate and transformed African American self- intelligence by lib epochting African Americans and by challenging the oppressors longstanding claim of racial superiority4. The Majority of Revisionist Scholars including James Cone5 conduct Basseys argument. Although Bruce Perrys6The life of a Man who changed Black America7gives a more critical account of Malcolm, by suggesting him to be a psycho historical basket case. This differs to the traditional anti-Malcolm bias, which normally depicts him as a carmine man. This essay will examine how Malcolm X talkd the African American instinct and the ways in which he affected them thus and now. Whether a convulsive man or psycho basket case, Malcolm certainly impacted the African American consciousness by imprinting it with non only their history, but too their dignity and a sense of new pride.To understand how Malcolm X changed the consciousness of Americans, one needs to understand Malcolm Little. His childhood, including his fathers lessons concerning black pride and self-reliance and his own experiences concerning race, compete a significant role in Malcolms adult life8. Throughout Malcolms life, hysteria was a major theme. His mother was mixed raced, as a white man raped his grandmother and by the time he was thirteen, his house had been burnt down by the Klu Klux Klan, his father murdered9, and his mother was in a mental institution. Malcolm was separated from his brothers and sisters and sent to a series of foster homes. He went to numerous schools w present he was the only African American in the class. Malcolm was brought up to be prep ard to be something that was more suited for an African American10. He left school early and became involved with hustling and criminal activities. At this time in his life, Malcolm Little, too like other African Americans tried to whiten himself. Malcolm painfully chemically straitened his hair and dated white women. His unlawful ways in naked York and Boston ultimately landed him in prison in 1946 for robbery. Whilst in prison, Malcolm became a member of the state of matter of Islam. From inside the prison Malcolm wrote letters to Elijah Muhammad, who was the leader of the state of Islam (NOI)11. Through this, Malcolm created his political theory of the white man is the devil. Once he left prison, in 1952, he became one of the Nations leaders and chief spokesmen. Looking back on his life, its clear to see there were umpteen differing Malcolms Victim, player, prisoner, hater, and anti-racist. As a result, Malcolm X is one of the or so misunderstood leaders in history12. Like many other leaders, there is a turning point that opens the semipolitical and social space for a leader to come up through. Malcolms turning point was the Hinton Johnson chance13in1957. Malcolm proved through this event his power to both white and black Americans. As one white policeman asserted, that is too much power for one man to have. However as Benjamin Goodman asserted, But it was that same power and presence which so impressed and frightened the police that also attracted me and thousands of other so called Negroes to Malcolm14. Malcolm created white fear and to black Americans, a leader to believe in. This one incident would change the lives of African Americans forever.Louis Lomaxs documentary titled The Hate that Hate Produced, broadcasted in 1959 that forced Malcolm to fame outside his religious circle. Representatives of the print media, radio, and t elevision frequently asked him for comments on racial issues. This newfound status of a celebrity helped Malcolm to use his oration skills and come out him into the public sphere for all African Americans to see. Thus Malcolm became the public face of the Nation of Islam for nearly twelve years and travelled across America to articulate African Americans. As Clasby asserts, thats is where his career sparked from. Malcolm attacked Christianity because he argued that religion had brainwashed Black People to accept their subordination to the dominant society. Malcolm claimed that Islam is the natural religion for African Americans15. However, it seems that in the beginning of Malcolms religious movement, he was trying to find himself and who he was while preaching his ideology of African Americans. Consequently, it was then a political rather then religious journey, as Malcolm preached about black equating and Black Nationalism. Although he did create a religious organization16. Malc olm left the NOI in March 1964, because he found out Elijah Muhammad had been deceiving him and Nation of Islam17. He then made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He spent much of the last year of his life in Africa, and the Middle East observing and practising being a Muslim. He met with political leaders and addressed many audiences.Malcolms main political platform was black equality and black supremacy. Many Historians18suggest that, for many, Malcolm serves as the fountainhead of modern Black Nationalism19, as he belonged to the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements. By avoiding white connections, Malcolm was qualified to articulate the support base mainly in the ghettos, preaching that African Americans should develop their own society. This included supporting comm wholeness-based enterprises. Malcolm wanted to reject cooperating with European Americans until African Americans could achieve cooperation amongst themselves. Thus Malcolm has been called a black revolutionary. Altho ugh, upon his return from Mecca in 1964, Malcolm X abandoned his stance to racial separatism, as he demonstrated by agreeing to work with integrationist civil rights groups. However, he was still in favour of Black Nationalism and advocated that black stack in the U.S. be self-reliant20. Malcolm started to realize that he mandatory to accept and work with other races to get results. As Malcolm stated, In my recent travels into African countries and others, I was impressed by the importance of having a working unity among all peoples, black as well as white21. In 1964, Malcolm organized the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which was oriented toward freedom and liberation for black people and other repressed groups. However this new political philosophy was not welcomed really warmly by his supporters, and ultimately lead to his assassination on February 21 1965. To this day, his more radical viewpoints impacted African American Consciousness. Davis and Davenport agree, rock t hat, exposure to Malcolm may alter feelings of political efficacy, political trust, interest in politics, and racial consciousness22.Malcolm felt that African Americans should not support the government because supporting the government meant you supported the white supremacy and those that repressed African Americans. Instead, Malcolm proposed Black economic leadership. For instance, black intelligence, black authority, and superiority. In other words, he ultimately understood capitalism to be as great an impediment to African American liberation as racism. As Rabaka argues, Malcolm X knew that it was not necessary for him to define himself as a communist, socialist, or Marxist23. Therefore, harpist carries much weight when he asserts, It should also be mentioned that the philosophy of Malcolm X was changing until his death24. This is supported by Rabakas argument asserting that, Malcolm Xs social and political thought, although consistently under tone ending a radical process of change and development, as James Cone contended, provides us with a paradigm of the possibilities of an engaged African-centered radical politics and social theory a critical theory.Malcolm argued that he spoke the truth, and criticized Martin Luther King for his optimism of Civil Rights. He wanted change in attitudes whereas MLK wanted legislative change. Malcolm did not believe in the white man having any intellect nor support, therefore he was the alternative side to MLK in the civil rights campaign. Malcolm did not support Martin Luther Kingss peaceful marches as he felt that it was a failure of Negro leadership and that it would never change white consciousness. Malcolm constantly ridiculed leader MLK25, as he declared that non emphasis was the philosophy of the fool. In response to Martin Luther Kings noted I Have a Dream speech, Malcolm retorted, While King was having a dream, the rest of us Negroes are having a nightmare.26Malcolm X believed in equality and that African Am ericans should have their right to withstand themselves by any means necessary, if the constitution wouldnt protect them. It doesnt mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time, I am not against using violence in self-defence. I dont call it violence when its self-defence, I call it intelligence.27 As Clasby noted, Resistance needs violence, violence breeds tho resistance, and when the tensions within have reached a certain level, some men like Malcolm X, come to prefer victory to survival28. Thus Malcolms policy on violence gave him aggressive status in the movement, and would later influence the Black Panther Party. Malcolm was in favour of the civil rights movement as he felt it was not just a domestic issue. As Bassey contends, The philosophy was shaped by Noble Drew Alis Moorish-American Science Temple Movement, the Nation of Islam, and Malcolms critical reflection of the events in the World29. It is important to note what Perry argues that, Malcolm X fathered no legi slation. He engineered no stunning Supreme Court victories or political campaigns. He scored no major electoral triumphs. Yet, because of the way in which he articulated his followers grievances and anger, the impact he had upon the body of politics was enormous. He mobilized black Americas dormant rage and localise it to work politically30.Malcolm represented the deep-rooted racial feelings, and said what those were thinking but were too frighten to say. He was initially their voice. He felt their thoughts, their feelings. It is because of him that intimately African Americans see themselves with such pride today. No longer did they feel alone they knew they had each other and that they were a collective31. As Rabaka asserts, he dysphoric to them that they could make heaven right here on this earth. Herein, perhaps, lies Malcolm Xs greatest contribution to Africana critical thought his radical commitment to continually recommit himself to end domination and discrimination and b ring into being human liberation by any means necessary32. Malcolm created fear, and reversed the fear on to the White Supremacists. As Harper asserts, more than any other person Malcolm X was responsible for the new militancy that entered the movement in 196533. Malcolm ultimately felt that it was the white man who had mown the blacks self-esteem, and took away their individuality. Although Malcolm was able to use this as a liberation tool. Rabaka agrees, arguing that to develop an effective Afro-American liberation movement, Malcolm X argued that African Americans ask to conceive their entire experience in the United States34. Therefore, they must look back to their heritage in Africa. As Bassey put it, his strategy was to urge black people to make a romantic identification with Africa.The African American consciousness that Malcolm articulated focused on the individuals relationship to the community and the their responsibility to that community, to respect and to defend its me mbers.35Malcolm X embodied the African Americans through his words, through his preaching and speeches36. Education was a vital component to the articulation of African Americans. As Malcolm stated, Without education, youre not going anywhere in this world37. Malcolm wanted to educate African Americans about their history. For Malcolm, an understanding of the historical achievements of black people, as well as the origins and evolution of their subjection in recent centuries, was an all important(p) weapon in the hands of those struggling for their liberation38. Goodman furthers this argument and suggests that what Malcolm told African Americans was a simple, profound truth one that blacks needed (and still need) to hear. And no one said it as effectively as Malcolm X39. Malcolm made African Americans know about their heritage. Cone agrees, and argues that African-Americans who are knightly to be black should thank Malcolm for creating the cultural space that lets us claim our Af rican heritage40.In an Interview discussing his surname, Malcolm explained that during slavery, the Surname denotes that a slave was this persons property. Therfore arguing that he had no idea what his family name was. The only way well get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world. We are blood brothers to the people of Brazil, Venezuela, Haiti Cuba yes Cuba too.41Thus Malcolm changed his last name to X. Equally, it was the common practice in the NOI Therfore, Malcolm addressed the issue of identity to the extent that black/Negroe Americans should be called/and were African Americans. As Bassey asserted, Malcolm X took up the challenge of African American being, self-consciousness, and self-identity by arguing that blacks in America were African Americans42. This contrasted to Du Bois double-consciousness theory that described it as an essential part of being a Negro in America. Bassey continues to explain that this double-consciousnes s accepted negative definitions that even impacted how blacks in America viewed their physical selves. This viewpoint can be noticed in our young people today43as they are proud to be African Americans. Malcolms success in articulating the African American consciousness can be seen today, as many African Americans are proud of whom they are and strive for success. As Clasby stated, Today these people are emerge into history-politically, economically, and, of most importance, spiritually. They represent a new normal of human consciousness44.Through Malcolms strong belief in the Nation of Islam came this development, which led to the evolution of Malcolms recognition of gender roles in our society. The leader has been considered to have more in common with a white man that of an African American women. Dyson agrees, suggesting These slights of black women reflected the demonology of the Nation of Islam, which not only viewed racism as an ill from outside its group, but argued that women were a lethal source of deception and seduction from within45. Controversially, Perry suggests that Malcolm was not as straight as his Nation of Islam colleagues have always insisted46. This could therefore suggest why Malcolm saw women in such a negative light. Perry suggests that Malcolms insecurities and ambivalence towards women fit the example of a repressed gay man and point to latent homosexuality47. However, Bassey is more convincing, as she asserts that it was of the Nation of Islam that created these attitudes towards women, not Malcolm. Thus, After Malcolm had broken away from the Nation of Islam, performed the hajj and visited Africa, Malcolm showed even more respect for women48. Therefore the support of African American Women during the time when Malcolm was alive was not for his view on women itself, but was for his political beliefs. Thus, it was Malcolms ideology that affected their consciousness.It is hardly surprising that African Americans believed in Malc olm Xs ethos on Black Nationalism and equality. His audience would have grown up being discriminated for their twist of the skin. African Americans on a daily basis were exposed to discrimination and violence. During the 1960s, there was a growing dissatisfaction amongst African Americans for equality. When African Americans followed Martin Luther Kings peaceful methods, more violence followed. When Africans Americans tried to protest peacefully, for instance at the Birmingham riots in 1963, they were welcomed by militant policemen. Therefore as their peaceful methods did not work, they turned to Malcolm who provided an answer for a utopian future.It is ironic that originally the media highly opposed Malcolm X when he was alive. It was very easy to dismiss a fiery black man, which the media portrayed. Now that he has been utter for 45 years, with the advantage of hindsight, the media now is one of his biggest supporters. For instance, Malcolm X, the 1992 biographical film directe d by Spike Lee49, portrays Malcolm in an extremely positive light. Therefore, this is evidence to support the argument that Malcolm X has not only changed African American Consciousness but also White American Consciousness. With Denzel Washington being nominated for an honorary society Award (which is considered as an extremely white conservative Ceremony) for Best Actor for his portrayl of Malcolm X, suggests that times have changed. The knowledge of that the film was critically acclaimed, suggests that people are now more open minded to change and accept the past and can admit doing wrong. Equally, it shows that there is a popular demand for nostalgia for Malcolm, as their present consciousness is reflected through or sourced from him. Davis and Davenport examined the extent to which the film Malcolm X and its reinforcement in the media influenced political attitudes among African Americans. They found that individuals who saw the film and received reinforcement from a televised documentary became more racially conscious, more concerned about race relations, and more knowledgeable about Malcolm X the man50. However one can argue that Malcolm has been idealized, and turned into a mythic character. Clasby concurs and noted that, Malcolm was about to go from history to myth51. The filmic conveyance of Malcolm as a mythical icon is very important as it represents the legacy that African Americans want him to be portrayed as. Persuasively, as Clasby, Painter and Davis and Davenport argued, While each of these retellings invents a new narrative, neither the disk nor the film is congruent with the life that Malcolm Little/Malcolm X lived, day by day, between 1925 and 196552. Therfore the media is subjective. Thus, attitudinal changes are fundamental re-visions in political and social attitudes created by images in the media53.Malcolm X not only impacted the African American consciousness but also African consciousness. One key example can be seen in the final sce ne of Malcolm X, as it takes place in a classroom in Soweto Township in southwest Africa, with anti-apartheid activist and future South African President Nelson Mandela citing one of Malcolm Xs quotes. As Davis and Davenport asserts, Nelson Mandela, another symbol of race and manhood. The vision-still pan-African-raises hopes for another round of consciousness- rising among black nationalists54. Equally, with the numerous children of African descent, both in the United States and Africa, declaring, I am Malcolm X, suggests that Malcolms pride of Africa was being echoed. Malcolm gave Africans their confidence to fight, in literal terms, for their rights. Therefore he transformed their ideology for the better. However, it could be argued that his extremist views have had a negative impact in such countries as Zimbabwe, where his influence of violence and extreme ideology proves that peace is not possible, and so therefore creating more of a racial divide. Thus, if his voice resonates outside of America he surely must have been an influential man.As a non-black person, I cannot wholly worry to Malcolm X. My ancestors were not slaves, and by that were not deprived their rights in a foreign country. Despite of this, having been born in South Africa during the apartheid era, Malcolm Xs ideology has impacted my conscious. One could argue that he was very manipulative and charismatic, however all the issues he raised were true. All over Africa, civilians were taken from their country, in order to be slaves. They lived in the most unjust manner. This anger throughout the generations of families and centuries of hardship was undoubtedly going to build upand the explosion/catalyst was Malcolm X. For instance, Were not Americans, were Africans who happen to be in America. We were kidnapped and brought here against our will from Africa. We didnt land on Plymouth Rock that rock landed on us.55As Cone asserts, All Americans owe Malcolm a great debt. He was not a racist, a s many misguided observers have claimed. He was an uncompromising truth-teller whose love for his people empowered him to respect all human beings. I am for truth, he said, no matter who tells it. I am for justice no matter who is for or against it. I am a human being first and foremost, and as such I am for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.56Today Malcolm exists within the consciousness of most African Americans, even though some might not even know. Malcolm X was the American prototype of this developing consciousness57. Although it is mainly the young who see Malcolm as such an icon, as Davis and Davenport noted, it is necessary to examine more carefully what Malcolm X represents to different age groups among African Americans. To younger African Americans, Malcolm X is attractive in part because he was attractive to a younger generation when he was alive. To young African American adults, the rediscovery of Malcolm X represents the articulation of their anger, i mpatience, and discontent with mainstream culture. Identifying with the violence and hatred associated with Malcolm X becomes an expression of their own defiance and as well as their own toughness. Conversely, to older individuals, Malcolm X is not a rediscovery. For African Americans who experienced the civil rights movement, he represents the violent and revolutionary antithesis to Martin Luther King and his creed of nonviolence and passivity58. Although, when compared to MLK, MLK did not give African Americans their identity, heritage and prideit was Malcolm. Therefore as Horne convincingly notes, He is an underlying part of the scaffolding that supports a contemporary African-American identity. His fascination with music and dance and nightclubs undergirded his bond with blacks. A significant development that is accelerating in Afro-America in the post-war era is cool or hip philosophy. It involves a manner, language, a mode of dress, and more59. Therefore, today, Malcolm exist s within the consciousnesses of African Americans.The New York Post wrote after Malcolms assassination, even his sharpest critics recognized his brilliance-often wild, episodic and eccentric, but nevertheless possessing promise that must now remain unrealized.60This statement could not have been more wrong. With the advantage of hindsight, this essay has demonstrated that it is clear that Malcolm X transformed the consciousness of African Americans and that no area of the African-American community escaped Malcolms influence. Malcolm awaked Black America, and gave them their confidence to do what then was thought of as impossible. Although Malcolms ideology was never persistent, this in turn helped him to appeal to a much larger audience. As Cone asserts, Although dead for nearly 27 years, Malcolms influence in the African-American community is much greater today than during his lifetime61. Malcolms representation through the media, support his legacy and bring it to the attentions of the young African Americans today and for the future generations of African Americans. Not only did Malcolm X impact African Americans but he also impacted Africans all over the world. Wherever Black people cooperate to talk about their struggle for justice, the ghost of Malcolms presence is there, reminding them of the strengths and weaknesses of their past and present efforts. The more Black people reflect on the meaning of Malc