Voila! Finally, the Malcolm X
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Spike movie starring
Denzel Washington. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Malcolm X. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
In the name of Allah, the merciful.
All praises due to Allah,
Lord of all worlds.
The one God to whom praise
is due forever.
The one who came to us in the person
of Fard MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand raised up the Honorable
Elijah Muhammad. Amen.
How do you feel?
-Who do we want to hear?
-Malcolm X!
Are we gonna bring him on?
Yes, we gonna bring him on.
Let us hear from our minister,
Mr. Malcolm X!
Let us bring him on with
a round of applause.
I'm here to tell you that
I charge the white man.
I charge the white man with being
the greatest murderer on earth.
I charge the white man with being
the greatest kidnapper on earth.
There's no place in this world that
that man can goMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand say he created peace
and harmony. Everywhere he's goneMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe's created havoc.
Everywhere he's gone,
he's created destruction.
So I charge him with being
the greatest kidnapper on this earth!
I charge him with being the greatest
murderer on this earth!
I charge him with being the greatest
robber and enslaver on this earth!
I charge the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwith being the greatest swine-eater
and drunkard on this earth!
He can't deny the charges.
You can't deny the charges!
We're the living proof of those charges!
You and I are the proof.
You're not an American.
You are the victim ofAmerica!
You didn't have a choice coming here.
He didn't say:
"Black man, black woman, come over
and help me build America. "
He said, "Nigger, get in the boat.
I'm taking you over there to help me
build America. "
Being born here
does not make you an American.
You and I are not American. You're one
of the million black peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwho are victims ofAmerica.
You and I, we've never seen democracy.
There's no democracy in the fields
of Georgia. No democracy down there.
We didn't see any democracy in Harlem,
Brooklyn, Detroit, Chicago.
Ain't no democracy there.
We've never seen democracy.
All we've seen is hypocrisy.
We don't see any American dream.
We've experienced only
the American nightmare.
See that spot?
Get it. The spot!
All right, that's it.
Hey, Cholly!
Where'd you get that number you hit on?
Was it your girl's address?
No, my grandma gave me that number
in my dreams. Straight!
- - .
You said Sassy Frassy gave you--
That woman quit me.
After l hit the number, that woman
was no good to me at all.
She said l was cheap because
l wouldn't cop her a diamond ring.
And on top of that,
had the indignationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto call me, of all people,
Good-time ChollyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa cheap, black son of a bitch.
Where's homeboy?
Hey, Little.
Your man out here waiting on you.
There he is.
Fixing to get that first conk laid on?
Be hot like hell.
Don't be scared, son.
You ain't got nothing to worry about.
You in the hands of an expert.
My hair was just like yours.
Look what he did for me.
Heckle and JeckleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xdon't scare the man no more than
he's scared already.
-Get his forehead and eyebrows.
-Who's doing this?
You all heard that!
Pull my coat if it stings. This shit
can burn a hole through cement.
Hold tight.
l thought you said
this would sting, Shorty.
This ain't nothing.
-Feel good, don't it?
-Real good?
Yeah, it's all right.
You'll feel better.
lt is heating up a bit.
lt's starting to heat up.
lt's okay.
Feeling better, ain't it?
-Just hold on.
-l'm holding, but it's heating.
Gotta make it straight.
That's what he told me too.
l gotta get this out now.
lt's starting--
-Hold on.
-l'm holding, l'm holding.
Give me a hand!
Help me out! Hold him!
We're going to the sink!
l got to get up! l got to get up!
-Cool it!
-Put water on it!
More water!
You're getting it in my eye!
-How's it feel?
-Like there's no skin on my head!
lf you can talk, it's out.
-How does it look?
-Can't tell yet.
ls it straight?
l'm not doing it again.
Let me dry it.
l can tell it's laying down.
Don't take it off yet.
Looks white, don't it?
All right!
Well, all root!
All reet!
Hit the brim with the left.
When my mother was pregnant with meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa party of Klansmen surrounded
our house in Omaha, Nebraska.
They brandished guns and shouted
for my father to come out.
My pregnant mother went to the doorMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand said that my father was in
Milwaukee, preaching.
They said that good white ChristiansMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwould not stand for his
troublemaking and to get out of town.
They broke every window with
their rifles before riding away.
They rode off into the moonlight as
suddenly as they had come.
My father was not a frightened Negro,
as most were and many still are today.
He was feet and very strong.
He believed, as did Marcus GarveyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat freedom, independence
and self-respectMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwouldn't be achieved
by Negroes in America.
--the object of building up for
themselves a great nation in Africa.
ThereforeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xblack men should leave America and
return to their land of origin.
My father dedicated his life
to his beliefsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbecause four of his six brothers
died violently.
Three killed by white men,
and one lynched.
There were nine children in our family.
My mother was a proud woman, an
educated woman, a strong woman.
She was fair-skinned because her mother
was raped by a white man.
One reason she married my father was
because he was so black.
She hated her complexion and wanted
her children to have some color.
I think this had a profound effect on
me then and on most Negroes today.
Because so many of our sisters have been
raped or violated by the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xblack men can't wait to get their
hands on the white man's prize:
A white woman.
Africa for the Africans!
Say "Roseland."
Showtime!
Showtime!
Hi, Shorty!
You're too big!
l'm gonna come get you.
Come on, Shorty,
l've gotta dance!
You in charge, boy!
You like what you see, baby?
Get back here!
Go ahead, boy!
Red, save me! Save me!
Gotcha!
Come on, Shorty. l wanna dance again!
Laura sure can go, can't she?
-l gotta go freshen up.
-All right.
-You come on back now.
-All right, Malcolm.
That chick is fine as May wine.
Except she lives up on a hill
and got a grandmother too.
She a church girl.
l don't know what l'm gonna do.
Wanna dance?
So what do they call you?
Red.
l'm Sophia.
How you doing?
Very well, thank you.
l have an idea, Red.
Why don't you take that
little girl home and come on back?
Just walk, baby, don't run.
lt'll be here when you get back.
Well, l better not come in.
l'm not stupid.
lt's late, baby.
l know where you're going.
l am not a total square.
-l know what's happening--
-l gotta go home. lt's late.
l gotta get up early in the morning.
l gotta work tomorrow.
l'll call you tomorrow?
What for?
l'm not white and l don't put out,
so why would you want to call me?
Good night, Mrs. Johnson.
l'll call you tomorrow.
Am l the first white woman
you've been with?
No, you ain't.
Shit, l done had plenty.
That isn't a whore?
Take your time.
Sophia's not going anywhere.
l told you to walkMalcolm X
Malcolm Xdon't run.
l don't like women that talk too much.
Who wants to talk?
You missed me.
Try this on for size.
-l ducked.
-You ducked?
You didn't! l got you
right between the toes!
l'm tired of playing the cops.
l wanna be Bogart.
Shorty, you're too small to be Bogart.
l'm not too short to be Cagney.
One more!
You dirty, rotten, stinking copper!
You used to be a big shot.
There is just nothing l can do.
-What do you mean, took his own life?
-You heard the verdict.
Verdict? A man takes a hammer and
bashes in the back of his own head?
Then he lays on the tracks
and kills himself?
We only act on the verdicts,
we don't make them.
Do you pay or don't you?
Read the policy, ma'am.
lt clearly statesMalcolm X.
Come here, Sophia.
You're the man.
Sit down.
What's your story?
You one of them white chicks
can't get enough colored studs?
lKiss my foot.
Go ahead, kiss it.
Now feed me.
That's your story, girl.
So when you gonna holler rape?
Me?
Yes, you.
You would, if the time came.
Sure you would.
Malcolm, let me feed you.
Come on.
While they're hot.
l wish your mother and father
could see you now.
And that ofay you're gonna marry.
l sure wish Laura could see us.
Please, Malcolm.
There's nobody around.
No, this ain't right.
-Why?
-Because you--
No, it's because of
the white girl, isn't it?
-lt's not because of that.
-Folks say you run around with her.
Save it for Mr. Right. Your
grandmother's smarter than you think.
l'm sorry she raised me that way.
ls your mother alive?
Yes, she's alive.
When l was a kid, l was so poor
l thought "not for sale" Malcolm X
Malcolm Xwas a brand name.
l did knock.
Did you hear me say, "Come in"?
There's no point in fighting about it.
l'm sorry.
-May l sit down?
-You're nice enough to ask.
lt's the same questions, Mrs. Little.
-Since your husband's deathMalcolm X
-Murder. Murder.
Malcolm Xthere's a question as to whether you
can raise these children alone.
These are my children.
They're mine.
And they ain't no question.
Sometimes, Mrs. Little, candor
is the only kindness.
All your children are delinquentMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand one at least,
Malcolm, is a thief.
Get out!
Your control over your
children is nonexistent.
Did you hear me?
You will regret this.
lf you don't move through that door,
you'll be past regretting!
We were parceled out, all of us.
I truly believe that if ever
a state agency destroyed a familyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xit destroyed ours.
I was sent to a detention
home and lived at this woman's house.
Mrs. Swerlin.
Boys, this is Malcolm, our new guest.
We'll treat him like a brother.
I was special. The only
colored kid in the class.
I became sort of a mascot,
like a pink poodle.
I got called a nigger so much,
I didn't think it was wrong.
I thought it was my name.
They talked about me like I wasn't
there. Like a pedigreed dogMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor a horse.
Like I was invisible.
The important thing
is to be realistic.
We all like you here, you know that.
But you're a niggerMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand a lawyer is no realistic
goal for a nigger.
But why, Mr. Ostrowski?
l gets the best grades in class.
l got voted class president.
l want to be a lawyer.
l want you to think about
something that you can be.
You're good with your hands,
making things.
People would give you work. l would.
Why not become a carpenter?
That's a good profession for a colored.
Wasn't your pa a carpenter?
Jesus was a carpenter.
People like you as a person.
You're doing real well.
Remember what we said.
"Nothing succeeds like success."
Say it.
Nothing succeeds like success.
As long as you're realistic.
lt's not the end of the world.
l said, "Don'tMalcolm X
Malcolm Xlet them give that boy no pig."
It wasn't the end
of the world for me.
But it was the beginning of the end
for my mother.
A right cross to thejaw by Louis.
Louis takes Conn's head back
with a right uppercut.
Louis hits left and right.
And Conn is down
with a right cross to thejaw!
He's taking the count.
Four, five, sixMalcolm X
Malcolm Xseven. He's on his back.
Eight. Nine.
He's getting up!
The referee says it's all over!
What in hell is going on?
Nothing, Mr. Cooper.
The customer's are hungry.
Soup done finished, Mr. Cooper.
Right, Mr. Charlie.
The name is Mr. Cooper.
Don't you forget it.
Mr. Cooper.
What's the matter with you?
You want me to get fired!
l got a wife and six kids!
Mr. Cooper is good white folk!
You is a young fool!
There'll never be another one like that!
He's done it!
And by a knockoutMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand still the world's
heavyweight champion:
Joe Louis!
Ham and cheese!
Excuse me, sir.
Ham and cheese here! l got coffee.
-Lemon meringue pie.
-Hey, boy!
-Ham and cheese.
-Yes, sir. Best in the house.
-You're pleased with yourself.
-l aims to please, sir.
l'm pleased to aim.
-l like you, boy.
-Thank you.
lKeep the change.
Right, sir!
Ham and cheese!
Harlem!
And here's Joe Lewis,
back in Harlem.
They're celebrating!
They're going crazy!
They're dancing! They're hanging
from street signs!
Everybody's out!
Everyone's having a great time!
Listen to them roar!
Joe's a credit to his race.
What a fine gentleman!
But he's also a fine American.
The Brown Bomber, Joe Louis!
Hey, sugar.
-Slow down. What's your hurry?
-No hurry.
Let me show you something new.
l got gold watches, diamond rings.
Any one of these. Whatever you need.
l don't need that.
You need something, baby.
Whatever you need!
A couple of these
make a player look good.
My man!
-The word is "excuse me," boy.
-"Excuse me" don't shine my shoes.
Then stay out of my way.
Old country nigger.
What you gonna do?
Go home to your mama?
Nigger, don't you ever in your life
say anything against my mother!
Give me a whiskey.
l ordered a single, Jack.
The double's on that gentleman, "Jack."
Who is that?
That's West lndian Archie.
What's his angle?
Some of this, some of that.
Nothing's gonna bite you.
You look like you're new in town.
From what l can see,
you're pretty handy with a bottle.
He had it coming.
Pull up a chair.
What do they call you?
Red.
And l ain't no punk.
You better not be.
Any cat toe you down here,
you stand up or make tracks.
Man live by his rep.
Better believe it.
So what do you do?
Working on the train.
Like that job?
-lKeeps me out of the Army.
-They want you, nothing'll keep you out.
Not this boy.
So l hear tell
you're a good man to know.
-Where you hear that?
-Boston, where l'm from.
lKiss my neck.
l've never been in Beantown.
Like the man said, a man's rep travels.
How about that!
You bullshitting me?
My father told me
never bullshit a West lndian.
Your daddy's West lndian?
My mama.
She's from Grenada.
Grenada.
l like this guy.
l like your country.
Grenada.
Where'd you get them
goddamn vines you got on?
And them shoes?
Oh, my.
We can do something about that.
But he's putting a hurting
on my vision, man!
Relax.
How do l find you?
You can't.
l get ahold of you.
All right, l'll write it down.
Don't ever write anything down.
File it up here.
Like l do.
lf the man don't have any paper,
he will never have any proof.
Dig?
Yeah, l dig. Right.
Look me in the face.
Did you just con me?
Yes, sir.
Why?
Because l want in.
lt don't take a lot to know
you're already there.
At least he ain't lying.
l have a run to make.
Let me make that run
with you, Mr. Archie.
l like your heart.
l like your style.
You might just do, Mr. Red.
Unless you have to
get back to your train job.
l've told him what to do
with that train.
-When?
-Just now.
All right.
Come with me.
l'm taking you shopping.
Cadillac's the name.
Sammy, man.
-You ready?
-Good.
Button more buttons on the jacket.
You look good.
But you're missing something.
Frisk me.
Go ahead, frisk me.
Nothing, right?
l'm still carrying.
This was my first gun.
Now it's yours.
Thank you.
You wear itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwear it so.
Small of the back.
Now you're outfitted.
Ready for the streets?
l'm ready.
Let them come.
Let us now turn to
the Gospel According to St. John.
Chapter Malcolm X
Malcolm Xverse .
.
"And John also was baptizing
in Aenon near SalimMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbecause there was much water.
And they cameMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand were baptized."
.
.
lt got to be .
.
l saw it in my dream.
.
-What do you know?
-l feel straight.
Your lucky day.
Roll it for me.
l told you, no paper, no trouble.
l'm working on it.
l keep my numbers in my head.
l've never written a number down yet.
Remember that.
Your turn.
Easy.
Easy.
You there?
lf l ain't, l'm next door.
Nothing in this world can give you
that real deep cool.
The girl.
About as mellow as l can be.
Cool enough to kill.
l realize that.
-Easy, easy, easy, easy.
-Stick them up.
Archie!
Baby?
Malcolm, you're so funny.
Give me some money, baby.
Come on, baby.
The bitch move too slow.
Sometimes this guy
has a big ugly mouth.
What time is it, baby?
: .
l like that. Combinate me.
.
.
.
l'm taking the bet.
Time to reload.
l thought you said we was going
to the movies last night.
You said that.
l'm sorry. l say a lot of things.
l believed you.
Do your job now. Get me a pack
of Lucky Strikes and a cognac.
Daniel come in yet?
Ain't that him?
Gorgeous!
How you been today?
You been waiting long?
Let me look at you.
-l've been missing you today, Laura.
-How you doing, baby?
l'm all right. Copacetic. Great.
Did you work today?
No, baby, l didn't go to work.
-l need a five-spot.
-l gave you this morning.
Give me the goddamn $ !
lt ain't the money.
l wannaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xmake sure you're okay.
l gotta pay back this guy.
l'll be right back.
Like last time?
l swear, l'll be right back.
Laura, l love you.
You know that chick?
You a private detective now?
Just asking.
Don't ask me no goddamn questions.
l ask you the questions.
You understand?
-She come in here a lot?
-Almost every night.
With him?
-She know he's high?
-lf she got eyes, she do.
She ain't hooking?
Not yet, Red.
But the way things are,
he'll turn her out any day now.
You stuck on her?
That's your problem.
You need to mind your own business.
Don't do that!
l wanna talk to you, all right?
Have a seat.
-Don't pay him any mind, hear?
-All right.
-All right?
-l'm all right.
Buy yourself something nice.
Hey, baby.
Give me a light.
You look uptight.
What's the problem?
-No problem.
-Sure?
Everything's all right.
l'm not worrying about it.
l'm thinking about my money.
Six big ones you owe me, right?
What?
.
lt hit, didn't it?
You didn't have .
Were you high? l threw the slats
at you, told you to combinate me.
You never had it.
l tell you l did. Sophia was there.
You remember, don't you?
What would she say?
Don't do this.
All right?
All right.
All right, skip it.
But you're slipping, aren't you?
You done slipped.
Archie, wait.
Come on, Archie. LookMalcolm X.
Come on. You want a drink
or something? l'm buying.
l ain't drinking with you.
All right?
Come, Sam.
l'll be right there, man.
Twenty-two years.
Twenty-two years, l never
knowed him to forget a number.
First time for everything.
What are you talking about?
The first thing he'll do is check
with the collector for an oversight.
His rep is on the line. So is yours.
And, Red, if you're lying,
you're a dead man.
Dead, dead, dead.
You go and tell him that.
My man, Red.
Night to you.
l don't understand Archie.
You had the number.
Didn't l tell you never sit
with your back to no door?
You know what?
You're a damn liar.
And so is she.
So you figure to take meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou bastard?
l'm taking you.
-So it's you and me?
-That's right.
l'll give you the $ .
-l don't want it.
-l'm wearing.
There's three guns on you,
so you take your chances.
Let's walk.
So this is how l'm going out?
-ln a toe-down?
-Toe-down, yes.
-Let's go.
-We'll let Billie finish.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Wake up.
Wake up!
There's somebody out there.
Wake the kids.
Follow me! Wait! Wait!
Go! Go!
Careful!
-Good thing we're all good Christians.
-lt's time for you to leave this town.
lt's a free country.
We warned you about Garvey preaching!
Stirring up the good niggras!
l ain't a boy!
-l'm a man!
-You're a dead nigger.
And a real man don't hide
behind sheets!
You take these bullets for them sheets!
l know you're a better shot than that.
You should've killed them.
You should've shot them all dead.
l just wanted to scare them.
They won't be around here
bothering us no more.
They won't be here no time soon.
l'm a man!
That'll teach you.
Get a doctor!
He doesn't need a doctor,
he needs a preacher.
l'm glad we got you out of there.
With Archie on your ass,
your name on the wireMalcolm X
Malcolm XBoston's the best
goddamn place for you.
We'll take it easy, huh, baby?
l got a place fixed up for us
on Harvard Square. How's that sound?
Sounds good. We'll lay low for a while.
Don't you worry about a thing.
l'll stake you.
l got my band. l'm blowing great sax.
You ain't even heard us play!
Like every hustler, I was trapped.
Cats that hung together
to find securityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto find an answer, found nothing.
Cats that might've cured cancerMalcolm X.
West Indian Archie might've been
a mathematical genius.
We were all victims
of the American social order.
Until that time, there were
three things I was always afraid of:
a job, a bust andjail.
But I realized then that I wasn't
afraid of anything. I was an animal.
He don't look too good.
We're gonna rob this town blind.
Anybody want out, say so now.
l set up a stake, and l got
somebody to move the goods.
We need a driver. Any suggestions?
How about Rudy?
Who's Rudy?
l'm half-wop, half-nigger.
l'm not afraid of nobody.
What do you do?
Name it, l claim it.
Rudy does catering. Rich joints.
All right.
Tell him about Baldy.
He's this old, rich ofay motherfucker.
l give him a bath every Friday night.
Towel him off,
talcum powder on him, put him to bed.
Just like a baby.
He gets his jollies off.
What about him?
Guy's got jewelry. He's got
a coin collection. He's got china.
-He's got rugs.
-That might be all right.
Shit, l know this town.
l got my own fences.
Who is this guy?
Who put you in charge?
You wanna be in charge?
l am in charge.
-You head nigger in charge.
-l'm the head nigger in charge.
Big-head nigger.
l'll tell you what.
Because l'm a fair manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand l like
big-head niggers like you.
We'll flip for it.
We'll flip this.
She loves me.
She loves me not.
She loves me.
She loves me not.
She loves me.
l'll flip first.
Red, cool it. Come on.
Head man in charge, right?
Put the gun down.
We believe you.
We believe you.
Red, stop clowning around, all right?
For chrissakes!
Your turn, Rudy.
Quit fooling around. Come on, guys.
You don't wanna flip?
-Let me show you how.
-Red, don't!
He doesn't know how.
l have to show him.
Did you miss something?
You got your eyes open?
Look at me.
You don't have to do this, Red.
That was really dumb.
Your flip. You wanna do it?
No, you don't, do you?
l'll help you.
-Here.
-Red, don't.
Should we shoot that
wop nose of yours off?
Or is that the nigger side?
ls that the wop side or the nigger side?
ls that wop or nigger?
l guess that's the wop side.
l'm not going to jail.
Put the gun away.
Come on, this is enough.
Say goodbye, Rudy.
Rudy said something.
What'd you say?
Speak up.
Jesus Christ!
When are you gonna stop?
l did two, so l owe you two.
You got it.
-l got it. What did you say?
-You got it.
Rudy says l got it.
Rudy, don't you everMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtry and cross someone who
ain't afraid to die, you hear me?
All right.
This is what we'll do.
We'll hit old Talcum Powder tonight.
My friend Rudy's gonna
draw up the plans.
Everything that's in the house, right?
Peg, Sophia, you get those tools
like l asked you.
We're gonna hit tonight because some of
us have high visibility during the day.
lt's okay with you, right?
Merry Christmas, Rudy.
One big happy family.
l love you.
What happened to the bullet?
Did you palm that bullet?
What bullet?
The bullet.
You're crazy.
Shorty!
Easy, Shorty, easy.
My man, Red.
My man!
When's Rudy due back?
Thirty minutes.
l'm almost finished.
Girls ought to be getting back
from casing that rug joint.
They should be.
We've done a good job.
We're killing them, ain't we?
They don't know what's hitting them.
-Let me work back in this kitchen.
-You getting the kitchen?
Putting naps on in the kitchen.
lf you can't take the heat,
get out of the kitchen.
All right, let's go to the sink.
Come on, it's starting to heat up.
-lt's burning?
-lt's all right.
Put your head down.
-Come on, man.
-l turned it.
lt's started to sting.
Get out of the way!
lt's burning?
Hell, yeah, it's burning!
Goddamn it!
Nigger, take your head
out of the shit bowl!
That's it. Get up slowly.
Watch it! No funny business now.
Red, the jig is up.
The average first offender
gets two years for burglary.
We were all first offenders.
That's what the girls drew.
Two years in the women's reformatory.
Our crime wasn't burglary.
It was sleeping with white girls.
They threw the book at us.
Burglary, count one, to years.
Count two, to years.
Count three, to years.
Count four, to years.
Count five, to years.
Count six, to years.
Count seven, to years.
Count eight, to years.
Count nine, to years.
Count ten, to years.
Count eleven, to years.
Count twelve, to years.
Count thirteen, to years,
and count fourteen--
Fourteen counts of to years.
Sentences to run concurrently.
Shorty thought he'd given us years,
until I explained "concurrently. "
It meant a minimum of
years hard laborMalcolm X
Malcolm Xat the Charlestown State Prison.
The date was February .
Fuck you.
Cellblock A, secure.
Look at him.
l see him.
He about to bust?
He not gonna bust.
He wouldn't give them the pleasure.
Little!
Your number.
Little!
What?
Give him a break.
-He's a new fish.
-l'll give him a break.
Now state your number, Little.
l forgot it.
State it.
l forgot it.
You can read it!
-Can't you read, boy?
-Fuck you!
l'll teach you a lesson.
l forgot it!
l forgot it!
l forgot it!
They ain't gonna break me down.
l'm in this situation,
and l'm getting out.
Anything go wrong, l'm strong.
Time's up, Little.
Now state your number.
Suit yourself. Ten more days.
Water!
Water!
You want a smoke?
You know what a friend
you have in Jesus, son?
A friend?
He's a friend?
lf he's such a friend, where is he?
What's he done for me?
A friend!
Tell you what you do,
you tell him to call me.
Call me and tell me
what kind of friend he is.
Solitary - .
What he done for me, chappy?
Where is he when l need him?
You tell me that! Where is this Jesus?
l'll tell you where.
He's out with the police captain!
l'll straighten him out!
What's he done for me?
He ain't done nothing for me!
"What a friend we have in Jesus."
Jesus can kiss my ass!
Tell Jesus to kiss my ass.
How about that? Tell him that.
Little!
State your number.
Come on, state it!
A- Malcolm X.
What?
A- Malcolm X.
Come on.
l know how you feel.
Like you want to lay down and die.
l brought you something.
l don't need no more favors from you.
lt's nutmeg.
Put it in the water. You need something
to get the monkey off your back.
lt's not cocaine,
but it'll help some.
Drink it slow.
The stuff is strong.
So what's your hype?
l can show you how to get out
of prison. And it's no hype.
Talk, daddy-o. l'm listening.
-This ain't bad. You got some more?
-That's the last fix l'm giving you.
So why'd you give it to me?
Because you needed it.
Because you couldn't hear me without it.
Nigger, get on out of my face.
l think you got more sense
than any cat in this prison.
Why the hell don't you use it?
You can't bust out of here
like they do in the movies.
Even if you get out,
you're still in prison.
You ain't lying.
You'll bang against a stone wall.
You're not using your brain!
That's what the white man wants.
Look at you, putting all
that poison in your hair.
l think you been in prison too long.
Everybody on the outside conks.
Why does everybody on the outside conk?
They don't want to walk around
with a nappy head, looking like--
Looking like me?
Like a nigger?
Why not look like what you are?
What makes you ashamed of being black?
Let me tell you something.
l'm not ashamed of being anything.
You better let go.
l gotta wash this out.
-Let it burn!
-Nigger, get your hands off of me!
Go on. Burn yourself. Pain yourself.
Put all that poison in your hair,
in your body, trying to be white!
-l don't want to hear this.
-l thought you were smart.
But you just another cat
strutting down the avenueMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin your clown suit
with all that mess on you!
Looking like a monkey!
The white man sees you and laughs
because he knows you ain't white.
Who are you?
The question is, who are you?
l'll tell you.
You are lost in the darkness.
But Elijah Muhammad has come
to bring you into the light.
Who?
Elijah MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcan get you out of prison.
Out of the prison of your mind.
But maybe all you want is another fix.
--you get used to this life,
and it puts you to sleep.
You stop thinking and acting
for yourself.
lf you had to scrounge squares a day,
you'd cut your throats.
So you let them feed you,
give you dominoes to play with.
-Let you shoot marbles, play baseball.
-Let's go. Cut the sermon.
He blows his whistle and you sit,
you stand, you grab, gobbleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfile outMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsleep, and sing out your number.
l told you to knock it off.
NowMalcolm X
Malcolm Xare you gonna take yard?
l'm staying.
Me too.
What are you sniffing around for?
l told you, l gave you your last fix.
What's your angle, nigger?
"Nigger"?
Who's wearing the conk?
You the only cat in this prison
l done seen act like you do.
You ain't even afraid of the guards.
What's he gonna do to me
he hasn't done already?
l mean, you don't cuss none. You don't
talk that "What-ya-know-daddy" jive.
A man curses because he doesn't have
the words to say what's on his mind.
l know you got a angle
some kind of way.
Don't con me.
Don't con me and don't try.
Hey, just offering you a cigarette,
my man. Ain't no big deal.
l read, study.
The first thing a black man
must have is self-respect.
Respect his body and his mind.
Quit taking the white man's
poisons into his body.
His cigarettes, his dope, his liquor,
his white women, his pork.
Pork?
My mama used to say don't eat no pork.
Your mama was right.
A pig is a filthy beast.
Part rat, part cat
and the rest is dog.
All right, pull my coat on this now.
What happen if you give all that up?
l mean, the pork. You get sick
and you get a medical or something?
Like when l was on the outside,
l ran this hustle. l tried--
l'm telling you God's words,
not no hustle.
And l'm gonna tell youMalcolm X
Malcolm XGod is black.
God is black?
Everybody knows God is white.
You accepted everything the white man
taught. He said you were a heathenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand you believed him.
He said Jesus was blond and blue-eyedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwith white skinMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand you believed him.
He said that black was a curse
and you believed that.
-Ever look up the word "black"?
-For what?
Did you ever study anything
that wasn't a con?
What the hell for, man?
Come with me.
"Black: Destitute of lightMalcolm X
Malcolm Xdevoid of color.
Enveloped in darknessMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhence utterly dismal or gloomyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas, 'The future looked black.' "
Pretty good with them words.
"Soiled with dirtMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfoul.
SullenMalcolm X
Malcolm XhostileMalcolm X
Malcolm Xforbidding, as, 'a black day.'
Foully or outrageously wickedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas, 'black cruelty.'
lndicating disgrace,
dishonor or culpability."
And there's others.
"Blackmail. Blackball. Blackguard."
That's something, all right.
Let's look up "white."
Here.
Read.
"White:
The color of pure snow.
Reflecting all the rays
of the spectrum.
The opposite of black.
Free from spot or blemish.
lnnocent. Pure."
Ain't this something?
"Without evil intent.
Harmless.
Honest, square-dealingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand honorable."
Wait a minute.
This was written by white folks, though.
-Sure ain't no black man's book.
-So why read it?
So you can read the truth
behind the words.
You got to take everything the white man
says and use it against him.
There's a whole lot of words in here.
Here. Let's start at the beginning.
We'll look them up, write them down
and find out what they mean.
Page one. The first word: "Aardvark."
"Aardvark.
Earth pig.
African, ant-eating mammal.
Abacus:
Chinese calculating instrument.
Abaddon:
The place of the lost in Sheol.
The bottomless pit."
lf you take one step toward AllahMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe'll take two steps toward you.
Lights out!
Boy'll wear out a baseball.
-What's the score, my man?
- to .
We're murdering them!
Didn't you hear?
No. What happened?
The Dodgers brought up Jackie Robinson!
We're pouding them, celebrating!
That's all right.
Sure.
White man throw us a bone
and we're supposed to forgetMalcolm X
Malcolm X years of oppression.
Yeah, but a nigger--
A Negro in the big leagues,
that's something.
l told you to go behind the words
and dig out the truth.
They let us sing and dance
and smileMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand then they let one
so-called Negro into the majors.
That doesn't cancel out history's
greatest crime.
When that grafted, blue-eyed devil
locked us in chainsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xone hundred million of us,
broke up our familiesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtortured usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcut us off from our language,
our religion, our historyMalcolm X.
Let me tell you about black history.
We are the original man.
The first men on earth were black.
They ruled.
And there wasn't
a white face anywhere.
But they teach us
that we swung from trees.
That's a lie.
Black men never did that.
We were a race of kings
when the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcrawled on all fours in Europe.
Do they know who they are?
Do you know where you came from?
What's your name?
Malcolm Little.
That's the name of the slave masters
that owned your family.
You don't even know who you are.
You're nothing.
Less than nothing.
Who are you?
Look, l ain't--
Shit!
All right, l ain't Malcolm Little.
Or Red. Or Satan.
That's right.
So who are you?
-l don't know.
-We are a nationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof the tribe of ShabazzMalcolm X
Malcolm Xlost in this wilderness called
North America.
Tribe of Shabazz.
The merciful Allah
has sent us a messengerMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa black man
named Elijah Muhammad.
He reveals to us the true
knowledge about ourselves.
He teaches that the true nature
of the original man, the black manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis righteousness.
lf the black man's nature
is righteousnessMalcolm X.
Then the true nature of
the white man is wickedness.
l knew you'd get it.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches
that the white man is a devil.
l sure met some in my life.
Elijah Muhammad does not say
that some white men are devils.
He teaches us that
all white men are devils.
Have you ever known a good white man?
Think back in all your life.
Have you ever met one
who wasn't evil?
The body is a sacred templeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xit must be purified.
l will not touch
the white man's poison:
His drugsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhis liquorMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhis swineMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhis women.
A Muslim must be strikingly uprightMalcolm X
Malcolm Xan outstanding exampleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xso that those in the darkness
can see the power of the light.
l will not commit
adultery or fornication.
l will not lieMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcheat or steal.
But the key to lslam is submission.
That is why five times daily,
we turn to Mecca to prayMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto bend our knees in submission.
l can't do that, Brother Baines.
The lost, found,
must bend their kneesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto admit their guilt.
To implore Allah's forgiveness
is the hardest thing on earth.
The hardest and the greatest.
l don't know
what l would say to Allah.
Have you ever bent your knees?
Yes, when l wasMalcolm X
Malcolm Xpicking a lock
to rob someone's house.
Tell Allah that.
You can grovel and crawl for sin
but not to save your soul?
Pick the lock.
Pick it.
l want to.
God knows l want to.
I received a letter that day
from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
The dear Holy Apostle
wrote to meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa nobody, a junkie, a pimp
and a convict.
I have come to give youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsomething which can
never be taken away from you.
I bring to you
a sense of your own worthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe worth of one human being.
The knowledge of self.
It was like a blinding light. I was
aware that he was in the room with me.
He wore a dark suit,
and on his face I saw a wisdomMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand pain so old and deep
that I could scarcely look at him.
But I knew I wasn't dreaming.
He was there with me.
I tell youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe most dangerous creation
in the worldMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin any societyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis the man with nothing to lose.
You do not need such men
to change the world.
One will do.
The earth belongs to usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe black man.
And whatever is around itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor on it, or in itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbelongs to us.
And then as suddenly as he cameMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe was gone.
And then I could do it.
We're taught that PaulMalcolm X
Malcolm Xon the road to Damascus,
heard the voice of Christ.
He was so smitten by the truth
that he fell from his horse.
Now, I don't liken myself to PaulMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut I do understand.
You see, it happened to me.
Why me?
Dear Brother Malcolm: I am back
in the bosom of Islam, praise Allah.
We don't have much,
but what we have is yours.
My wife and my sonjoin me in saying
that when you come outMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich won't be long,
come straight to us.
Next.
What'll it be?
Take it all off.
-Getting rid of that conk, huh?
-Yes, sir.
You write, thanking me.
Don't thank me, thank Allah.
He did it all.
Dear Brother Baines:
Please thank Elijah Muhammad
for the moneyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand tell him
I haven't written himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbecause I've
not yet proven myself.
But I have shared his teachings
with old running buddies in HarlemMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand with my main man, Shorty,
who was transferred upstate.
He's gone nuts.
"Dear Brothers:
l thank you for
your time and concern.
All praises due to Allah
for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
l wrote the mayor, the governor
and the PresidentMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut for some reason
l haven't heard from them."
Please tell ElijahMalcolm X
Malcolm XI have dedicated my life to telling
the white devil the truth to his face.
I greet you with the ancient words
ofpeace, "As-Salaam-Alaikum. "
P. S. I finally copied out the
entire dictionary.
l think the brother is coming along.
"The thief cometh not
but for to stealMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand to kill, and to destroy.
But l am comeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat they might have lifeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand that they might have it
more abundantly."
Saint John verse .
Are there any questions?
Watch it, baby.
This cat is heavy on religion.
l see this has become a struggle
between good and evil.
"Satan" has a question.
Yes, sir. But since
neither of us are GodMalcolm X
Malcolm Xneither of us can say
who's good and who's evil.
Just ask your question.
We were discussing the Disciples.
What color were they?
Well, l don't thinkMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe know for certain.
-But they were Hebrews?
-That's right.
As was Jesus.
Jesus was also a Hebrew.
Just ask your question.
What color were the Hebrews?
l have told you that
we don't know that for certain.
Then you can't believe for certain
that Jesus was white.
Just a moment. Just a moment.
God is white.
lsn't it obvious?
That's obvious, but it's
not obvious that God is white.
Elijah Muhammad teaches usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat Jesus didn't have
blond hair and blue eyes.
Elijah Muhammad teaches that
images of JesusMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin prisons and churches
throughout the worldMalcolm X
Malcolm Xare not historically correct.
Because history teaches usMalcolm X
Malcolm XJesus was born in a region where
the people had color.
There's proof in the Bible
you ask us to readMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin Revelations, chapter
verses and Malcolm X
Malcolm Xthat Jesus had hair like woolMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand feet the color of brass.
-What're you saying?
-l'm not saying anything.
l'm proving to you that Jesus was not,
to quote an lndian brotherMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe was not a paleface.
Amen.
lsn't that interesting!
Brother Malcolm.
Brother Malcolm.
He's waiting for you.
My sonMalcolm X.
You have been a thiefMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa drug dealer and a hustlerMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand the world
is still full of temptation.
When God spoke to the devil about
how faithful Job wasMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe devil arguedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat it was only
God's protective hedge around himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat kept him pure.
ln fact, the devil said:
"Remove that hedge
and he will curse his Maker."
Well, MalcolmMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyour hedge has been removed.
And l believeMalcolm X
Malcolm XyouMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwill remain faithful.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sister.
How many of these should we make?
-Five hundred.
-Make it .
Brother Malcolm, this is Brother Earl.
He just accepted the teachings.
Brother Earl's dedicated.
We need good men like him.
l'm a willing servant for
the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Go ahead, brothers.
lKeep it busy.
Take a real good look
at not just where you liveMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut take a good look
at where everybody you know lives.
l don't want you to think
you're some bad-luck accident.
Then l want you to go downtown,
to Central Park WestMalcolm X.
Go in other communitiesMalcolm X.
You've never seen
a Booker T. Washington storeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin an ltalian community.
You've never seen no
Frederick Douglass delicatessenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin the Jewish community.
Why's everybody in this community
making money but us?
lt's time for black men and women
to stand upMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand take control of our dollars.
lt's time for us to use our dollars
for our liberation.
We can do what everyone else can
if we become producersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand if we become
the masters of our own destiny.
We can have wool from sheep
just like anyone else.
But where are our clothing stores?
We can get milk from cows,
but where are our grocery stores?
We need to control our dollars!
We need to control our destiny!
The only thing they respect
is our dollars!
--the so-called freedom
we should have.
The Statue of Liberty
stands like this.
For us, it may as well say,
"Stop, don't come no further."
"Don't come no further."
Brothers and sisters,
l want you toMalcolm X.
l want you to come down
to the temple.
Oh, l'm so surprised!
l'm so surprised.
You all been in church two hoursMalcolm X
Malcolm Xexpecting to see heaven,
but you're still here on earth.
Why don't you come on down
to the temple at : ?
You'll hear truth,
the black man's truth.
No, you can't deny it.
You been on your knees for hoursMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbegging some God to help you
in the hereafter.
But the hereafter is right now.
The hereafter is here and now.
Let me talk to you, brother.
l know you're a smart man
and a wise man.
You look good.
Now, you're in church every day,
praying to this God.
But these so-called white ChristiansMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhang our black Christians
from trees.
This man hates you.
He doesn't do anything for you.
He tells you to foam at
the mouth and singMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand hope for something
in the hereafter.
We can have it now.
-Come on down, : .
-See you later.
As-Salaam-Alaikum
That means, "Peace be unto you."
We have two children.
Carla, who's two, andMalcolm X.
Don't be ashamed when l call
you black. You are.
You're black and you're beautiful.
Black is beautiful.
You don't have to come here
begging these folks for a job.
You can wash their clothes
and scrub floors for them.
You can rock their little
brats to sleep your whole life.
You'll still end up poor.
Yet you're here on the auction block
being examinedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xlike you're a horse or a slave.
You see this here?
This is who you are. Beautiful.
Your beautiful black selves,
with pride and dignity.
l'd also expect you to work one
Saturday every monthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand occasionally in the evening--
See, these are the questions
you and l have to ask:
"How did we get this mind?"
You're not an American, but an African
who happens to be in America.
You must understand the difference.
We didn't come over on the Nina,
the Pinta and the whatchamacallit.
We didn't land on Plymouth Rock.
Plymouth Rock landed on us.
Landed right on top of us.
Shorty?
ls that you, brother?
Now, this is exactly what l'm talking
about, the slave mentalityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe slave mind.
This brother and l had
the slave mind.
We used to rob together.
We slept with white women.
We even went to prison together.
Don't be surprised.
Some of you are still in prisonMalcolm X
Malcolm Xprisons of your mind.
Stand up, brother.
Come on.
The brother's a little shy.
Come on, brother.
Give me a hug.
That's all right, brother.
Look, he's still got his hair fried.
That's the slave mind.
Red, that's the best preacher hype
l ever did hear.
No hype, brother.
lt's the truth.
Come back to the temple
and hear more.
l can't pay that shit no mind.
You need to pay it all your mind.
What's left.
Take it easy.
This is me. Shorty.
Let's go around the cornerMalcolm X.
No, sir. Not anymore.
l've been clean for eight years.
-Eight years?
-Eight years.
My trouble is, l love pigs feet
and white women too much.
So l damn sure can't be no Muslim.
That's because you're lost, brother.
That's because you're lost.
But we can find you.
What do you hear about
the old gang?
You heard about Sammy?
Dead. Knocked over in bed with
a chick years younger than he was.
Had grand in his pocket, also.
Guess it was his lucky number.
What aboutMalcolm X.
What was his name?
Cadillac?
Gone too?
Hooked on heroin. Been in and out
of Lexington five or six times.
Sophia?
Still happily married
to that rich ofay.
-She married him?
-She married him.
Went for the money.
-The money.
-Thank you, honey.
l haven't seen
West lndian Archie.
Grapevine says
he's living in the Bronx.
If you wanna call that living.
It's been good seeing you.
Same here, Red.
Get the hell away from me, bitch!
l'll pay you tomorrow!
How you doing, Archie?
My man, Red.
Come here, man.
No, don't get up.
lt's all right.
lsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xreally you, Red?
Yes, it's me.
l came toMalcolm X
Malcolm Xjust to thank youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor saving my life.
When l think back to when
we were in Harlem trying toMalcolm X
Malcolm Xgun each other down--
l wasn't going to shoot you, man.
lt wasMalcolm X
Malcolm Xjust my rep.
You know?
All l had was my rep.
But nowMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou tell me this.
You did really have that number?
l don't know, ArchieMalcolm X.
l don't remember,
and it's not important.
The important thing now
is to get you back on your feet.
You know, l have some anglesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xain't been figured yet.
lt's all right.
Help me with my arm.
l need to exercise my arm.
That's better?
Yep.
lt feels good.
Good.
What happened to our women?
They could've been doctors, lawyersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor teachers or mothers.
Who'll raise our children?
What happened to our men?
Men who could've been mathematicians,
electricians, physicians.
What's the little boy gonna doMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhen he's looking for his father
who's in jail?
What'll the girl doMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhen she's looking for her mother
who's out selling herself?
I'm telling you, that devil has made
dead souls out of you and I.
You're dead, spiritually.
You're dead to the knowledge
of yourself and your peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand to the knowledge
of your God.
Why, he should get down on his knees.
He should beg our mercy.
Oh, my brothers and sistersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhis kind has committed
God's greatest crimeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xagainst your and my kind
every day of his life!
He should get on his knees
and say he's committed a crime.
But does he do that?
Does he do that?
No, no, he scorns you.
He splits your head with
his nightstick.
He busts you in the head
with his billy club.
And he calls you a niggerMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa coon. That's what he says to you.
"Boy!" "Nigger!"
Four hundred years is long enough.
You've sat down and laid down
and bowed down for years.
l think it's time to stand up.
l think it's time to stand up.
-We're with you!
-All right.
Bless you.
Glory! My Lord!
Praise Him!
Yes, sir.
Next Wednesday, : .
l'll see you there.
Brother Baines?
Excuse me, sister.
Do you think we can get
a loudspeaker set up outside?
l'm sure we can.
Brother Malcolm,
this is Sister Betty.
She lectures our Muslim women
on hygiene and diet.
She stresses care for the body
and regular eating habits.
Good.
-As-Salaam-Alaikum.
-Alaikum-Salaam, sister.
Brother MinisterMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe sister wonders if you know
what Harriet Tubman didMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbetween taking souls to the
Promised Land?
No. What's that, sister?
She ate.
Excuse me.
She's interesting.
Minister, l was hoping
you'd come and speak to my class.
Yes, l'll speak to your class.
-But l'm a hard man on the women.
-Are you?
We must be very careful
when it comes to women.
Too many of our womenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhave too much
of the devil in them.
Bleaching and dyeingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand ironing their hair.
Running around
in the streets half-naked.
Talking too much.
Listening to the wrong menMalcolm X
Malcolm Xmaking them
deceitful, untrustworthy, fresh.
And you men are to blame too.
We don't protect, we don't value,
we don't even support them.
See, the building of
a new nationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbegins with the woman.
Because the motherMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis the first teacher of the child.
The message she gives that child,
the child gives to the world.
When it comes to choosing a mateMalcolm X
Malcolm XSamson, the strongest man
that ever lived, was destroyedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xby the woman
that slept in his arms.
Should l tell my sisters, thenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat we don't believe in marriage?
No, we don't oppose marriage.
We're not Catholic priests.
We don't believe in celibacy.
Mr. Muhammad teaches
that if a womanMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis the right height
and complexion for a man--
lf she'sMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhalf the man's age, plus seven.
And ifMalcolm X
Malcolm Xshe understands that man's
essential nature is strongMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand she's
willing to support that.
And if sheMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcan sew and cook andMalcolm X
Malcolm Xloves childrenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand stays out of troubleMalcolm X.
l think you've made your points,
Brother Minister.
Good.
You haven't any time for marriage.
So what l'll do is
write the chapters down for youMalcolm X
All right.
Malcolm Xas well as the New Testament
chapters in St. Matthew.
Brother MinisterMalcolm X.
l hope you'll still
come visit my class, though.
No, l'd love to come to your class.
l love to teach.
l love sharing. This is the wonderful
thing about Mr. Muhammad:
When he gives you this knowledge,
you can't help but share it--
Excuse me, Brother MinisterMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwould it be okay if weMalcolm X
Malcolm Xjust sat down for a moment?
lt's a big building andMalcolm X.
Sister, l'm sorry.
l've had you on your feet all day.
My mistake.
You've been on your feet for days.
And you didn't even finish your salad.
So let's talk about you
for a change.
How tall are you?
Why do you ask?
ldle question.
Well, if it's just an idle question,
l hope l'm not forced to answer.
No, l won't force you.
Brother Baines says that
l'm tall enough for a tall man.
He's briefed you also?
How old are you, sister?
You know, there are
a few things about womenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat you don't understand.
Some of us, we're
quite possessive, very vainMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand persistent when
we've set our mind to something.
What have you set your mind to?
Being a good MuslimMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa good nurseMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand a good wife.
Brother Malcolm?
-Excuse me.
-Certainly.
Brother Johnson was attacked
by the police.
Excuse me.
-A scuffle!
-He was just watching.
-The cop said, "Move on!"
-He didn't move quick enough for him.
Crack! He was bleeding
like a stuck hog.
So what you gonna do?
He'll rap a little.
He's a Muslim!
But you ain't gonna do nothing
but make a speech.
Muslims talk a good game,
but they never do nothingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xunless somebody bothers Muslims.
We demand to see Brother Johnson.
Who the hell are you?
The minister
of Muslim Temple No. .
Never heard of you.
-Where is he?
-Not here.
Wait a second.
What is your name?
Don't worry about what my name is.
Two witnesses saw Johnson brought here
beat up, but not brought out.
You didn't hear the sergeant?
Outside!
l suggest you look outside
that window.
Jimmy, come here a second.
We intend to see Brother Johnson.
Who the hell are they?
They're brothers of Brother Johnson.
Eddie, let me take a look
at that blotter.
We got a Muslim.
Relief must've put it down.
-Must have.
-But you can't see him.
-Because you ain't his lawyer.
-No lawyer, no see.
Until l'm satisfied that Johnson
is receiving proper medical careMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnobody will move.
Get an ambulance. Now!
Break it up. You got what you wanted.
No, l'm not satisfied.
To the hospital.
We want justice!
We want justice!
All right, that's enough.
Move these people out of here.
Fruit of lslam are disciplined men.
They haven't broken any lawsMalcolm Xyet.
What about them?
That's your headache.
But if Brother Johnson dies,
l pity you.
Doctor?
He'll live. He's getting
the best care we have.
-Thank you.
-Certainly.
All right, okay.
Now, let's disperse this mob!
That's too much power
for one man to have.
Brother Minister, l'm ready
to take some heads.
We gotta do something
to put fear in those devils.
l'm ready to do something also. The
word out of Chicago was to be patient.
-l'm tired of being patient.
-Then you get on the phone--
You get on the phone, call Chicago
and let Mr. Muhammad know.
Have a seat, son.
The only thing l like integratedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis my coffee.
What can l do for you?
Well, Mr. XMalcolm X
Malcolm Xmy name is Benjamin.
l was out there tonight.
Take it easy now.
And l saw what it is that you did.
The way you talked
to them policeman and all.
Well, Mr. XMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl want to be a Muslim.
l ain't never seen a nigger--
l meanMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcolored person--
NegroMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtalk to no police like that before.
And you want to be Muslim?
Join the Nation Of lslam?
You know what that means?
To be a Muslim?
Do you?
No, not exactly.
But l wanna be one.
Just like you.
You shouldn't join any organization
unless you know what it's about.
Thank you.
You shouldn't give up
so easily either.
We could use more young warriors
like yourself.
Come on by the temple
next Wednesday, : .
: sharp.
Yes, sir. : sharp.
Thank you, Mr. X. And l won't
make you out a liar either.
l don't think you will.
Tonight, l shallMalcolm X
Malcolm Xintroduce you
as my national minister.
lt will be a difficult task.
Your assignmentMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis to build temples
all over this nation.
More work than you've ever done.
Yes, sir.
You will be in the public eye.
Beware of them cameras.
Them cameras areMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbad as any narcotic.
White devil will be watching
your every step.
And your own brothers will beMalcolm X
Malcolm XjealousMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhostile.
Go slowly.
Yes, sir.
Here's a glass.
lt's dirty water.
Foul.
lf you offer this to the peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthey have no choice.
They'll drink from itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xif they're thirsty.
But if you offer themMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthis glassMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand let them make
their own decisionMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthey will choose the pure vessel.
lslam isMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe only religionMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat addresses
the needs and the problemsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof the so-called Negro in America.
Especially in the slumsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin the ghettos.
lslam is the only way out
for drugs and crimeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand unemployment, prostitutionMalcolm X
Malcolm XalcoholMalcolm X
Malcolm XgamblingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand adultery, fornication.
This sweetMalcolm X
Malcolm Xgentle man, at whose feet I kneeled,
gave me the truth from his own mouth.
Present the pure vessel.
I adored him in the sense of
the Latin root of the word adorareMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich means to worship and to fear.
He was the first man I ever feared.
I don't mean fear
such as one has of a gunMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut the fear one has
of the power of the sun.
I pledged myself to him,
even if it cost me my life.
-Hello?
-Hello, Betty?
Yeah, this is Malcolm.
-l know.
-Right, I'm here in Detroit.
-Will you marry me?
-Yes.
You heard what I said, right?
-Did you hear my answer?
-Yes, l think so.
-Are you eating?
-l've been eating.
Good.
I love you, Betty.
I love you back.
lt's not gonna be easy.
No choice.
l'll be away a lot.
l know.
ln fact, l'm leaving in the morning.
Hush, now.
Pittsburgh, PhiladelphiaMalcolm X
Malcolm XTrenton, Newark, up through number
all the way up to Boston.
You're with meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xeven when you're away.
l've never told you thisMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut the very first time
l ever saw youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xstanding up on the podiumMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou were cleaning your glassesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand l felt so sorry for you.
Sorry for me?
Why?
Because no one as young as you
should be so serious.
But l don't think that anymore.
What do you think?
l want to have
a lot of babies with you.
Dear heart.
l love you.
We're waiting on you folks.
Trying to starve us?
Brother Malcolm, Sister BettyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe pray that Allah blesses you
with a happy and fruitful marriage.
Congratulations, Brother Minister.
Check them out. Front page!
l must emphasize at the start that
Elijah Muhammad is not a politician.
So l'm not here this afternoon
as a Republican nor as a Democrat.
Not as a Mason nor as an Elk.
Not as a Protestant nor a Catholic.
Not as a Christian nor a Jew.
Not as a Baptist nor a Methodist.
ln fact, not even as an American.
Because if l was an AmericanMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe problem that confronts our people
today wouldn't even exist.
So l have to stand here today
as what l was when l was bornMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa black man.
Before there was any such thing as a
Republican or a Democrat, we were black.
Before there was any such thing
as a Mason or an Elk, we were black.
Before there was any such thing as a Jew
or a Christian, we were black people.
ln fact, before there was any such place
as America, we were black.
And after America has long passed
from the sceneMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthere will still be black people.
l'm gonna tell you like it really is!
Every election year, these politicians
are sent up here to pacify us.
They're sent here and set up here
by the white man.
This is what they do.
They send drugs in Harlem down here
to pacify us!
They send alcohol down here
to pacify us!
They send prostitution down here
to pacify us!
You can't get drugs in Harlem
without the white man's permission.
You can't get prostitution in Harlem
without the white man's permission.
You can't get gambling in Harlem
without the white man's permission.
Every time you break the seal
on that liquor bottleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat's a government seal
you're breaking.
l say, and l say it again,
you been had.
You been took.
You been hoodwinked.
Bamboozled. Led astray.
Run amuck. This is what he does.
You know, some people
call this hate-teaching.
This isn't hate-teaching.
This is love-teaching.
l wouldn't tell you this
if l didn't love you.
l wouldn't stick my neck out for you
if l didn't love you.
l want you to understand one thing:
Everything l teach youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xeverything l have said to youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhas been taught to me
by this dear man.
This divine man.
All praise is due to Allah
for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Attallah's fine.
And she misses you as much as I do.
But the news that you've dedicated
four new temples is almost as goodMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas having you with us.
Oh, dear heart.
--white supremacy, try to hide their
guilt by accusing Elijah MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof being a black supremacistMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsimply because he's trying
to uplift the mentalityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe social and economic condition
of his people.
And the Jews who have been guilty
of exploiting black peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtry to hide their guilt
by accusing Elijah MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof being anti-SemiticMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsimply because he's trying
to teach you and l--
He's trying to teach you and IMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be in charge of the businesses
in our own community.
To own the businesses
in our own community.
To have economic leadership
in our own community.
No, this isn't black supremacyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthis is black intelligence.
The black people in this countryMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhave been the victims
of violenceMalcolm X
Malcolm Xat the hands
of the American right wingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor years.
Four hundred years.
Four hundred years.
We thought by following
those ignorant Negro preachersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat it was God-like
to turn the other cheekMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto the group
that was brutalizing us.
A hundred years ago,
they used to put on white sheetsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand sic bloodhounds on us.
Nowadays, they've traded in
the sheets--
Some have traded in the sheets--
They've traded in the sheets--
Please, please.
They've traded in those white sheets
for police uniforms.
They traded in the bloodhounds
for police dogs.
Andjust like Uncle Tom
back during slavery timeMalcolm X.
We must remain true to nonviolence.
I'm asking everybody in the line.
If you can't be nonviolent,
don't get in it.
--to love our enemy and pray
for those who use us spitefully.
You've got chicken-pecking Uncle Tom,
so-called Negro leaders today.
And it's another great day.
You've got these Uncle Tom
Negro leaders todayMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat tell us we ought to pray
for our enemies.
We ought to love our enemy
and integrate with the enemyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwho bombs us, who kills
and shoots us, who lynches usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwho rapes our women
and children. No!
No! That's not intelligent.
That's not intelligent.
Elijah Muhammad is trying
to teach you and lMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat just as the white man
and any other man on this earthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhas the God-given right,
the human right, the civil rightMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe natural right, and any other
rights you can think ofMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto protect himselfMalcolm X
Malcolm Xjust as this white man has
the right to defend himselfMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe have the right
to defend ourselves too.
This is only natural. This is what
Elijah Muhammad is trying to teach.
He's not teaching us
to hate the white man.
He's teaching us to love ourselves.
Mr. X, before we begin
our discussion tonightMalcolm X
Malcolm X "The Black Muslims: Hate Mongers"Malcolm X
Malcolm Xwould you mind explaining for us
the meaning of your nameMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich is the letter "X"?
During slavery time,
the slave masterMalcolm X
Malcolm Xgave the Negro--
the so-called NegroMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnamed the so-called Negro
after themselves.
Elijah Muhammad teaches usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat once we come into the knowledge
of lslam, the knowledge of ourselvesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe replace our slave name
with an "X" Malcolm X
Malcolm X"X" in mathematics representing
the unknown.
Since we've been disconnected,
or cut off from our own historyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xour own past, our own culture,
our own landMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe use the "X," the unknown,
until we get back to our country.
l see. Thank you. Dr. Payson?
Mr. X is aMalcolm X.
He's a demagogue.
He has no place to go,
so he exaggerates.
He's a disservice toMalcolm X
Malcolm Xevery good, law-abiding, church-going
American Negro in the country.
Why do you teach black supremacy?
Why do you teach hate?
Well, for the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto ask the black manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhy he hates himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis like the wolf asking the sheep,
or the rapist asking the rapedMalcolm X
Malcolm X"Do you hate me?"
The white man is in no moral position
to accuse the black man of anything.
This is a black man
asking the question.
What would you call an educated Negro
with a B. A., an M. A., a B. S. or a Ph. D.?
You call him a nigger.
That's what the white man calls him.
You have to understand this thinking.
To understand this type of man,
you must understand that historicallyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthere were two types of slaves:
The house Negro and the field Negro.
The house Negro lived in the houseMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnext to his master. ln the big house,
in the basement or the attic.
He dressed good, he ate good,
what the master left him.
He loved his master.
He loved his master better
than the master loved himself.
lf master said, "We got a nice house,"
you say, "Yeah, we got a nice house."
Master's house caught on fire,
the house NegroMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwould put the blaze out.
lf the master got sick, he'd say,
"What's the matter? We sick?"
"We sick" ! This is the thinking
of the house Negro.
lf another slave saidMalcolm X
Malcolm X"Let's run away, let's separate
from this cruel master" Malcolm X
Malcolm Xhe said, "Why? What's better
than what we got here?
l'm not going anywhere."
This is the house Negro.
ln those days, we called them
house niggers.
That's what we call them today because
we still got a lot of house niggers.
Dear Holy ApostleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe ministers think Malcolm is
getting too much press.
They think he thinks he is
the Nation of lslam.
That he has aspirations
to lead the Nation.
lt was you who made Malcolm
the man he is.
You lifted him out of darkness.
You go and tell the brothersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat what the Brother MinisterMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis doing, has doneMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhas been of great benefit
to the Nation.
And you tell them that l say so.
The ministers think he is
of great benefit to himself.
One at a time.
-Did you say white people are devils?
-I said they're devils.
Should all black men be armed?
Well, one of your most
famous men said:
"Praise the Lord and pass the
ammunition." That's the way you think.
Do you think your cause
will be successful?
I sincerely hope so.
-Do you advocate violence?
-No, sir.
Has a white man helped your people?
Has there been a white man
that's helped my people?
-Correct.
-I don't understand the question.
You preach anti-white,
anti-Christian science.
You're saying you're anti-white?
-No, you're saying it.
-Are all white people devils?
We've gotta move out.
We've got a plane to catch.
Excuse me, Mr. X?
l've read some of your speechesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand l honestly believe that a lot
of what you have to say is true.
l'm a good person in spite
of what my ancestors did.
l just wanted to ask youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhat can a white person
like me, who isn't prejudicedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhat can l do to help you
and further your cause?
Nothing.
My high school was a black ghettoMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin Roxbury, right here in Boston.
I got my college education on
the streets of Harlem in New York City.
l took my master's degree in prisonMalcolm X
Malcolm Xover six and a half years.
ln factMalcolm X
Malcolm Xmy old burglary hangout
was just outside this campus.
l lived like an animal.
l stole.
l used drugs.
l smoked reefers, cocaine.
l committed adultery. Had it not been
for the Honorable Elijah MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl'd have surely been in
an insane asylum or deadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor possibly even a murderer
of one of you.
So what is Mr. Muhammad trying to do?
He's trying to get us on God's sideMalcolm X
Malcolm Xso that God will be on our side
and help us fight our battles.
When the so-called Negro in America
gets on God's sideMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand listens to the teachings
of Elijah MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe'll want to get off of drugs
and get away from a life of crime.
He'll want to get away
from committing adultery.
Then he'd want to get off welfare.
He'd want a jobMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto take care of his family.
And his family would respect him.
His son will say,
"l'm proud that that's my father."
His wife will say,
"l'm proud that that's my husband."
"Father" only means that you take care
of your children. That's what it is.
"Father" doesn't mean
that you're having some babies.
That doesn't make you a father.
Anybody can go out and get a woman.
But not anybody can take care
of that woman.
There's another word for it.
lt's called responsibility.
lf the so-called Negro in America
was truly an American citizenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe wouldn't have a racial problem.
lf the Emancipation Proclamation
was authenticMalcolm X
Malcolm Xif the th, th and th
amendmentsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwere authentic,
we wouldn't have a race problem.
lf the Supreme Court desegregation
decision were authenticMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwe wouldn't have a race problem.
But you have to see
that all of this is hypocrisy.
These Negro leaders are telling
the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat everything's all right,
we got it under control.
That everything Elijah Muhammad
teaches is wrong.
Mr. Muhammad said these things
were gonna come to passMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand now they're coming to pass.
Now these same Negro leadersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xare running around talking about
there's about to be a racial explosion.
Yes, there's gonna be
a racial explosion.
And a racial explosion is
more dangerous than an atomic explosion.
There's going to be an explosion because
black people are dissatisfiedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnot only with the white man, but with
these Uncle Tom Negro leadersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat try to pose
as spokesmenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor you and l.
Just like you have a--
Just like you have a powder keg.
When you have a powder keg
and there's too many sparksMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe thing's going to explode.
lf the thing that's going to explode
is sitting inside the houseMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand if it explodes, then the house
is going to be destroyed.
l said the house is going
to be destroyed.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is
teaching you and lMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand trying to tell the white man
to get this powder keg out of his house.
Let the black man separate
from his house.
Let the black man have his own house.
Let the black man have
his own land and property.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is
trying to tell the white manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat this thing, this explosion, is
gonna bring down his house.
This is what he's telling him.
More importantly, he's telling himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat if he doesn't do
something about itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xif he doesn't do something about it,
it's gonna explode any day now.
l'm just here to tell you,
and l'm gonna make it very short.
l'm here to tell you about
Elijah Muhammad's greatest greatness.
His greatest greatness is
that he has the only solutionMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor peace in this country.
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad's
solutionMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis the only solution for you and l.
lt's the only solution
for the white man.
Complete separationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbetween the black race
and the white race.
lt's the only solution.
All praise due to Allah
for Elijah Muhammad!
All praise due to Allah
for Elijah Muhammad!
Brother Malcolm!
Yes, yes. Hold on, hold on.
Yes, sir. lt's all right.
My brother. How you doing?
-Can l ask you something?
-Anything.
Are you Elijah's pimp?
He should be killed
for talking like that!
What are you saying, brother?
"His greatest greatness."
Just say what you're saying.
lf you don't knowMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl feel the sorriest for you.
Oh, come on, brother.
Let me tell you something.
lt's all right.
He's just hungry for knowledge,
that's all.
Yeah, that brother's starving.
So am l. Come on,
let's get something to eat.
We'll talk about it tomorrow.
-Okay, night-night, Daddy.
-Night-night.
Long night.
-What you looking at?
-You.
Why you looking like that?
You're in trouble.
How do you know?
Oh, dear heart.
Because l know you.
Well, if you know meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou know l don't like to bring
my troubles home.
You know that also.
Yes, l do.
But l'm not made of glass.
And l won't break.
Look, Betty, l just want peace.
l want to sit here with you.
l want toMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbe still. l want peace in my house.
-Have we ever had a fight?
-Never.
-Argument?
-Never had one, no.
We're gonna have oneMalcolm X
-Malcolm Xif you don't talk about it.
-Talk about what?
-The talk's everywhere.
-There's always gonna be talk.
Aren't they talking now about me trying
to take over the Nation?
Aren't they talking about
how we're getting richMalcolm X
Malcolm Xoff the Nation of lslam?
-We could talk about that too.
-Let's talk about it.
lt's not just talk anymore.
"UPl: Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X
Malcolm Xleader of
the Black Muslim movementMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtoday faced paternity suits
from two former secretaries."
These are slanders. These are lies.
Don't you know that?
Don't you realize this is
the devil's newspaper?
He's trying to divide us.
Divide and conquer. He's trying
to bring down our leader.
"Both womenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin their s, charge that
they had intimacy--"
"lntimacies with Mr. Muhammad--"
You think l'm not
aware of these accusations?
You think l'm not
aware of these vicious lies?
-Brother Baines and l discussed it today.
-Baines?
ls he your friend?
What's wrong?
Nothing.
What's the matter with you?
Wake up! Are you so committed that
you've blinded yourself?
You're so dedicated,
you can't face the truth?
Baines?
He's the editor of the newspaper
that you established.
Ask him why your name hasn't
appeared in it for over a year.
-l'm not interested in publicity.
-You're in every other paper.
Our people know what l'm doing.
-But do you know what Baines is doing?
-Baines! Baines!
You're so blind!
Everyone can see but you!
Baines is the one who saved my life.
When l crawled in prison
like an animalMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe brought me to
the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
And Mr. Muhammad brought me
back from the dead--
A long time ago!
You've repaid them!
Don't you raise your voice
in my house!
Ask them.
Ask them why they have new cars,
houses and furniture.
ls that what this is about?
You want furniture?
-You want cars?
-What do we have?
What do we have, Malcolm?
Broken-down jalopyMalcolm X.
The clothes on our backs.
So l'll get you new clothesMalcolm X.
We don't even own our own home.
What about our children?
What about me?
We don't even own life insurance.
The Nation will support all of you
if anything happens to me--
Will they?
Are you sure?
Are you sure?
Are you sure?
Or are you blind?
All right.
l've got work to do, soMalcolm X.
There's always work to do.
-Help me.
-l'm trying to.
l'm raising the children
practically by myself.
What do you want me to do?
Stay home?
You don't know how often they ask,
"Where's Daddy?"
You want me to make the beds
and go on the road?
-The people need me!
-We need you!
l need you too.
But what do you want me to do?
Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
You can face death hours a day,
but the possibility of betrayalMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnever enters your head.
Open your eyes.
-As-Salaam-Alaikum, minister
-Alaikum-Salaam, sister.
Her name's Eva Marie.
And she's years old.
Brother Minister,
l didn't do anything wrong.
l didn't do anything to be
put in isolation.
l believed in him.
l believed in
the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Believe in Allah.
This is Saudi.
She's .
And you have Lisha.
She's .
From their own mouths I heard
who had fathered their children.
And from their own mouths
I heard that Mr. MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhad told them I was the best.
He often spoke of you.
He loves you like a son.
The greatest minister he had,
but that I would leave himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xturn against him.
And so I was dangerous.
Mr. Muhammad, while praising me
to my faceMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwas tearing me apart
behind by back.
-You're sure about all this?
-Yes, l am.
All l want is support for
my three childrenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat the Honorable Elijah Muhammad
provide for them.
That's all l want.
Allah will provideMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor all of us.
What do you mean, blackout?
Perhaps some brothers are
a little jealous.
Maybe they think you've been
getting too much press.
lt's nothing. Forget it.
Now about our coming
up in the world a little.
The Nation's grown.
We've grown with it.
You know our people.
They want their leaders
to be prosperous.
One hand washes the other.
"l'm telling you God's words,
not no hustle."
Remember what you told me in prison?
"l'm telling you God's words,
not no hustle."
Brother MalcolmMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhat do you want?
A new car?
A new house?
lt's the money, isn't it?
But we tell the whole world that
we're moral leadersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbecause we followMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe personal example of
Mr. Muhammad.
Elijah Muhammad is a human beingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand so are you.
-Do you know your Bible?
-Do you?
David slept with BathshebaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut he's remembered for
slaying Goliath.
Noah was accused of drunkenness,
but God gave him the ark.
Solomon had wives, but he
was history's greatest, wisest king.
Brother Baines is a two-bit hustler,
but one hand washes the other.
A great man's deeds
outweigh his personal weaknesses.
Who needs the nutmeg now, brother?
-l'm not gonna allow--
-Be careful, Malcolm.
l warn you.
You be careful.
l'm not surprised.
You have a very good understanding of
prophecy, of spiritual matters.
l'm not surprised.
l have built this NationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xunder the divine guidance of Allah.
He has brought me back
from the dead to lead my people.
After me,
there will be no more.
No more.
l mustMalcolm X
Malcolm Xplant my seed in fertile soil.
lt is onlyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe fulfillment of prophecy.
My faith had been shattered
in a way I can never fully describe.
Every second of my years
with Mr. MuhammadMalcolm X
Malcolm XI'd been ready to die for him.
The thing to me that is worse than
death itself is betrayal.
I could conceive death,
but I couldn't conceive betrayal.
Not of the loyalty I gave to
the Nation of Islam and Mr. Muhammad.
During that time, if Mr. Muhammad
had committed any crimeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xpunishable by death, I would
have tried to prove I did itMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto save him.
I would have gladly gone
to the electric chair in his place.
What did he say?
-l'm so sorry.
-There's nothing to be sorry about.
l just got a lot of work to do,
that's all.
How can you work?
Because we have to teach.
We gotta teach the people.
We gotta teach on Solomon, MosesMalcolm X
Malcolm XDavid.
Solomon had wives.
A man's good deeds,
they far outweigh any of hisMalcolm X.
My father used to say thatMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou can't make a rooster stop
crowing after sunrise.
Well, the sun is up.
So what do l say about this
so-called national day of mourning?
l say the white man's acts of violence
should be condemnedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xby our beliefs and by his own.
The lKoran teaches us that
those who work evilMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwill be condemned, punished
or judged according to their works.
The Holy Bible teaches us that
you reap what you sow.
This is divinejustice.
ln the Americas' soil, the white man
has planted seeds of hatredMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe seeds of violence.
He's allowed those weeds to chokeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe lives of millions of black men
and women for yearsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand the lives of lndians in these
Americas for years.
And now those same weedsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhave choked his own chief gardener.
You ask me what l say.
l only say what the Bible says.
l say what the lKoran says.
l say it's justice.
Don't you even feel a bit remorseful
or saddened by lKennedy's assassination?
l don't think anyone would deny that
when you send chickensMalcolm X
Malcolm Xout from the barnyardMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthose chickens will return to
your barnyard, not your neighbor's.
lt's an example of the devil's
chickens coming home to roost.
The violence that he's
perpetrated here and abroadMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfour children in Birmingham,
or Medgar Evers, or in AfricaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthis same violence has claimed
one of their own.
Being a farm boy, chickens coming home
to roost never made me sad.
ln fact, it's only made me glad.
Did youMalcolm X
Malcolm Xread the paper today?
Yes, sir. l did.
That was a bad statement you made.
You knew from my instructionsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xno minister was to make
any statements against this man.
The country loved this man.
You have made itMalcolm X
Malcolm XhardMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor MuslimsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin general.
Yes, sir.
We must disassociate ourselvesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfrom your terrible blunder.
l must silence you.
For daysMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou must not make any statements
to the pressMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnor are you to speak
at any temples.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
l submit percent.
Leave us alone.
Leave us alone.
Stop calling here.
Who's putting you up to this?
We have children here!
Stop it!
lt's all right.
They keep calling!
They keep calling!
JustMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtake the babies and put them to bed.
Come on, babies.
Let's go to bed now.
-Bedtime.
-Come on.
Let's go.
-Good night, Mommy.
-Good night, Daddy.
Brother Minister,
l have to level with you.
They gave me a missionMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut l couldn't do it.
-l love you all.
-What kind of mission?
To wire your carMalcolm X
Malcolm Xso it would explodeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhen you turned the ignition.
The ministers say you're spreading
untruths about Mr. Muhammad.
They say that
you're the greatest hypocriteMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa JudasMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa Benedict Arnold.
The ministers say that
your tongue should be cut outMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand delivered
to Mr. Muhammad's doorstep.
And what do you say?
l'm with you, Brother Minister.
You'll be marked for death.
Yes, sir.
Let me die then.
l can't come between you
and your father.
-You're my father.
-Go on home.
Don't come back.
That's an order.
Yes, sir.
Because threatens to be an
explosive year on the racial frontMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl have called this press conference
to clarify my position.
lnternal differences have forced me
out of the Nation of lslam.
ln the past, l thought and spoke
the words of Elijah Muhammad.
Everything l said,
l started with:
"The Honorable Elijah Muhammad
teaches us" thus-and-so.
That day is over.
From now on l speak my own words,
and l think my own thoughts.
Now that I have
more independence of actionMalcolm X
Malcolm XI'll use a more flexible approach
in working with othersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto solve this problem.
l'm not out to fight
other Negro leaders.
l"ve forgotten every bad thing
other leaders said about meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand l pray they'll forget the many
bad things l said about them.
We must work together to find a common
solution to a common problem.
I will organize
and lead a new mosque in New York:
Muslim Mosque, Incorporated.
This gives us the religious base
and the spiritual forceMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnecessary to rid our people
of the vicesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat destroy
our community's moral fiber.
Our politics
will be Black NationalismMalcolm X
Malcolm Xmeaning, we want to control
our community's politics.
The Muslim Mosque, lnc.
will remain openMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor ideas and financial aid
from all quarters.
Whites can help us,
but they can't join us.
There can't be black-white unity
until there's first black unity.
We can't unite with othersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xuntil we've first learned
to unite amongst ourselves.
We can't be acceptable to othersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xuntil we have first
proven acceptable to ourselves.
In my desire to fully understand
the religion of IslamMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas practiced by million
Muslims around the worldMalcolm X
Malcolm XI intend to make a pilgrimage,
or holyjourney, to Mecca.
This pilgrimage is
a religious requirementMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor duty,
of every Muslim that is ableMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto make the pilgrimage
at least once in his lifetime.
l'm Egyptian. And you?
American.
What's your name?
Malcolm.
-How much?
-Twenty Egyptian pounds.
For one?
-Special price for you.
-Special for me!
Okay, thank you.
Where can l get a better price?
-What's your name?
-Mohammed.
Mohammed, l'm Malcolm.
-Malcolm X. And you?
-Gamaal.
All right, Gamaal. l'm from Harlem.
From the United States.
-Hareem?
-No, not Hareem. Harlem.
Can you show me around?
-Hash?
-No. No hashish.
You know, the pyramids.
No, pyramids, pyramids, pyramids.
You're gonna take me?
Sphinx! Sphinx!
My darling Betty:
Everywhere I go, I am welcomed
as a representative of our people.
Our struggle is known
and respected worldwide.
Coincidentally, two white men
follow me around wherever I go.
I wonder who they're working for?
If I was a betting man,
I'd say the CIA.
What's your guess?
Today I arrived in Arabia.
I have never witnessed
such sincere hospitalityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand true brotherhoodMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas practiced hereMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin the ancient
home ofAbraham, MohammedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand the great prophets
of the Scriptures. "
Today, with thousands of othersMalcolm X
Malcolm XI proclaimed God's greatness
in the sacred city of Mecca.
In the ihram garb, I made
my seven circuits around the Kaaba.
I drank from the well of Zem Zem.
I prayed to Allah from Mount Arafat.
It was the only time in my life that
I stood before the CreatorMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand felt
like a complete human being.
Now, you may be shocked
by these wordsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut I've eaten from the same plate,
drunk from the same glassMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand prayed to the same God
with Muslims whose eyes were blueMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhose hair was blond, and whose
skin was the whitest of white.
And we were all brothersMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtruly.
People of all colors and races
believing in one God, in one humanity.
Each hour in this sacred land
gives meMalcolm X
Malcolm Xgreater spiritual insight into
what is happening in America.
The American Negro can never
be blamed for his racial animosities.
He's only reacting to years of
oppression and discrimination.
But as racism leads America
up the suicidal pathMalcolm X
Malcolm XI believe the younger generation
will see the writing on the wallMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand many will want to turn to
the spiritual path of truthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe only way left to ward off
the disasterMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat racism must surely lead to.
Once before, in prison,
the truth came and blinded me.
Well, it has happened again.
In the past, I've made sweeping
indictments of all white people.
And these generalizations
have caused injuriesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto some whites
who didn't deserve them.
"Because of the spiritual rebirth
which l was blessed to undergoMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas a result of my pilgrimageMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto the holy city of MeccaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl no longer subscribe
to sweeping indictments of one race.
I intendMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be very careful not toMalcolm X.
--careful not to sentence anyone
who has not been proven guilty.
I am not a racistMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand I do not subscribe to any
of the tenets of racism.
In all honesty and sincerityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xit can be stated that I wish
nothing but freedom, justiceMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand equalityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xlife, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness for all people.
My first concern is with the group
to which I belongMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor we, more than others, are
deprived of our inalienable rights.
But the true practice of IslamMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcan remove the cancer of racismMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfrom the hearts and the souls
of all Americans.
If I can die
having brought any lightMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhaving exposed any truth that
will help destroy this diseaseMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthen all the credit is due to Allah,
the Lord of all the worlds.
And only the mistakes have been mine.
Please give all my love
to the children.
I love you dearly.
Sincerely,
El-Hajj Malik El-ShabazzMalcolm X
Malcolm XMalcolm X.
Let's begin.
You said on your trip you sensed
a feeling of great brotherhood.
Yes, when I was in Mecca
making the pilgrimageMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe brotherhood that existed there
among all people, all racesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xall levels ofpeople who
had accepted the religion of IslamMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhat it had done
for those people, despiteMalcolm X
Malcolm Xtheir complexion differencesMalcolm X.
Perhaps ifpeople
here in America would tryMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand practice and study the religion
of lslam, it might helpMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto erase the plague of racism here.
l think Muslims over there
look at themselves asMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhuman beings, as part of
the same human family.
Today my friends are blackMalcolm X
Malcolm Xred, yellow, brown and white.
Are you prepared to ask the UN
to bring charges against the U. SMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor its treatment of Negroes?
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
The audience will have to be quiet.
Please, please.
Yes, as I stated earlierMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthose nations,
African, Latin, Asian nationsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xare hypocritical
when they stand up in the UNMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand denounce the racism practiced
in South Africa, butMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsay absolutely nothing aboutMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe practice of racism here
in American society.
Now, l wouldn't be a man
if l didn't do so.
Will you work now with leaders
of other civil rights organizations?
Yes, we're prepared to work with
any groups, leaders, organizationsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas long as they're
genuinely interested in results.
Positive results.
Does your new beard have any
religious significance?
No, not particularly, butMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl think that as black people
in America striveMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto throw off the shackles
of mental colonialismMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthey'll also reflect
their desireMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto throw off the shackles of
cultural colonialism.
l believe that a mental and cultural
migration back to AfricaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnot necessarily a physical oneMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut a mental and cultural
migration back to AfricaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich means we reaffirm our bond
with our brothers over thereMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwould help to strengthen
black people in America.
Not only spiritually,
but it would give us the incentiveMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto solve some of our problems
here at home.
One of your
more controversial remarksMalcolm X
Malcolm Xcalled for black people to get
rifles and form clubs.
Do you still favor that idea?
Why is that controversial?
lf white people find themselves
the victims ofMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe violence black people found
themselves victims of in AmericaMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand if the government was unable
or unwilling to do anythingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xit'd be intelligence on their part
to defend themselves.
What about the guns?
When you tell your people to stop
being violent against my peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl'll tell them
to put away their guns.
So you're still an extremist.
Get your hand out of my pocket!
Next question.
Malcolm, you one dead, red nigger.
Your days on this earth are
numbered, brother.
Come to bed.
Get some rest.
l'm sorry, Betty.
Sorry for what?
l haven't been the best husband
or the best father.
A family shouldn't be separated
like ours has been.
l promise l'll never make a long trip
without you and the children.
l miss you and the girls.
We will be together,
l promise you that.
Dear heartMalcolm X.
l love you.
Thank you.
Now get some sleep.
We had the best organization
the black man has ever seen.
Niggers ruined it.
Wake up!
Come on! Let's get up!
Girls, come on! Come on!
Out! Out!
Outside! Out!
Go, go! Run, run!
Go across the street!
-Somebody call the fire department!
-Help! Help!
Call the fire department, please!
Somebody call the fire department!
l'm a man!
EvidentlyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsome type of bomb was thrown against
the back of the house.
One was thrown on the side
of the house, from what l see.
lt bounced up against the window
and woke my daughter.
Had it gone inside,
my -year-old, my -year-oldMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand my -year-old daughterMalcolm X.
Had that happened,
l'd have taken my rifleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand gone after anyone in sight.
Was this a warning
or an attempt on your life?
What, does it look like
a warning to you?
This was a definite attemptMalcolm X
Malcolm Xby the Nation of lslam, upon
the strict orders of Elijah Muhammad.
-Muslim headquarters say--
-l don't care what they say.
l see what they're doing.
Minister Baines, can you tell us
who bombed the house?
We feel it's a publicity stunt
on the part of Malcolm X.
We hope it's not so thatMalcolm X
Malcolm Xif he can't keep the house,
we won't get it either.
That's enough. Excuse me.
l'm all right. l'm all right.
-Betty and the kids?
-They're fine.
Let's post some
men in front of the house.
-Did you see anybody?
-No, but l know who it is.
-You know l know who did it.
-Give us the command.
Don't worry about the command.
Two men on post, two in front!
Spark it.
As-Salaam-Alaikum, my brothers.
-Here's your key. Enjoy your stay.
-Thank you.
O. A. A. U.
Brother Earl, it's Malcolm.
Where are you? We've been calling
all over the city.
Hold the phone.
I'm downtown.
I'm in a hotel trying
to get some work done for tomorrow.
-Let me bring some brothers there.
-That's all right.
I wish you'd listen to us.
We must frisk people
at the Audubon Ballroom meeting.
No, no! l don't wantMalcolm X.
l don't want anybody frisked.
We have to change our way of thinking.
We have to make people
feel comfortable.
If I can't be safe around my own kind,
who can I be safe around?
I trust Allah will protect me.
Believing in Allah is one thing,
but l also believe in being armed.
We don't want black people
killing each other, all right?
All right?
We'll protect you, Malcolm.
As-Salaam-Alaikum.
No, peace be unto you, Earl.
Do you have a Malcolm X registered?
Your red nigger is dead
and so are your bastard children!
Wake up, brother.
As-Salaam-Alaikum.
You hear me and hear me well.
You come anywhere near my familyMalcolm X
-Malcolm Xand l will kill you.
-Betty?
Do you hear?
Betty, it's me, Malcolm.
They keep calling.
They keep threatening. l go crazy
every time a phone rings.
Just don't answer the phone.
Everything'll be all right.
-When will it stop?
-Don't answer the phone.
Are the brothers there on post?
They're outside.
Let them answer the phone.
Don't touch the phone.
Beloved, where are you?
l'm in a hotel.
ln a hotel.
The girls asleep?
l just put them down to bed.
Can we come to the meeting tomorrow?
No, l don't think so.
The girls and I want to see you.
We miss you.
Betty, it's too dangerous.
It's been dangerous.
Listen, l haven't told
this to anybodyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut l've been thinkingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xabout what's been happening to me
lately, to us latelyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand l'm gonna stop saying
The Nation of lslam's behind this.
l know what they can and can't do.
l trained them.
Some of the things that have
been happening latelyMalcolm X.
l'm gonna stop staying it's just
The Nation of lslam.
They're not working alone.
They're getting a lot of help.
Are you sure?
I miss you, Betty.
You're with us
even when you're away.
Now listen, you come on down to
the Audubon tomorrow.
We'll be all right.
We're not gonna let this get us down.
You come on down.
Bring the girls too.
The girls and I miss you so much.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Compared to lKing, this guy's a monk.
Good night.
Sleep well. I love you.
Good night.
Sweetheart, Attallah, sit back.
Sit up.
Sit up straight.
Mama, l want the doll!
Sister?
-What do you say to the nice man?
-Thank you.
You're very welcome,
my beautiful sister.
Bye-bye.
The minister hasn't arrived yet.
Don't worry.
He'll be here like clockwork.
Son?
Son?
Are you all right?
Are you okay?
Good.
l recognize you.
Don't you pay them folks
no never mind.
You just keep right on doing
what you doing.
Yes, ma'am.
-l'll pray for you, son.
-Well, thank you.
Jesus will protect you.
ls the charter ready?
No, Brother Minister.
No? Why not?
You had enough time, didn't you?
l apologize.
We'll have it next week.
We don't have next week.
We need it today.
The people want to hear
the charter today.
Next week, Minister.
ls the reverend here?
The reverend called and said
he wouldn't be able to attend.
So now we don't have
an opening speaker or a charterMalcolm X.
Why didn't you say this last night
when l talked to you?
-l called Sister Betty.
-You didn't have to call her!
You should've told me!
Why tell her?
-l assumed that--
-Don't assume anything!
Go on down front.
-Sister, you go on with the brother.
-Yes, sir.
What's wrong?
lt's a time for martyrs now.
The way l feelMalcolm X
Malcolm Xl shouldn't go out there today.
Fine. Let's cancel it.
My wife out there?
My children?
Down front, as always.
Go out to the pay phone outside.
Call up the reverend,
see if he can make it down here.
l gotta be on post.
l'm supposed to be
guarding you.
-Besides, that's a duty for secretaries--
-Go out to the pay phone.
Call up the reverend.
See if he can make it down here.
Fine.
Thank you.
l apologize for
raising my voice earlier.
lt was very disrespectful.
Brother Minister, l understand.
Why styles are changingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xminds are changing,
why everything is changing.
So you and l must consider that
we're living in very changing times.
And what might be true today
may not be true tomorrow.
And without any further ado,
l present to youMalcolm X
Malcolm XBrother Minister Malcolm.
And l prayMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat you and l will listen.
ListenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhear and understand.
Thank you.
Daddy!
Get your hand out of my pocket!
BrotherMalcolm X.
Please. Hold it.
Calm down.
Please, brothers!
BrothersMalcolm X.
Get an ambulance!
Get an ambulance!
They killed him!
They killed him!
Get out of the way!
Move!
Stand back!
Get back!
Give us a statement, sir!
Please!
The person you know
as Malcolm X is no more.
The assassinationMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof Malcolm X
was an unfortunate tragedy.
And it reveals
that there are stillMalcolm X
Malcolm Xnumerous people
in our nation who haveMalcolm X
Malcolm Xdegenerated to the point of
expressing dissent through murderMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand we haven't learned
to disagreeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwithout being
violently disagreeable.
HereMalcolm X
Malcolm Xat this final hourMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin this quiet placeMalcolm X
Malcolm XHarlem has come to bid farewellMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto one of its brightest hopesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xextinguished nowMalcolm X
Malcolm Xand gone from us forever.
It is not in the memory
of man that thisMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbeleaguered, unfortunateMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut nonetheless proud communityMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhas found a braver,
more gallant young championMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthan this Afro-American
who lies before usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xunconquered still.
I say the word again as
he would want me to:
Afro-American.
Afro-American Malcolm.
Malcolm had stopped being "Negro"Malcolm X
Malcolm Xyears ago.
It had become too small, too puny,
too weak a word for him.
Malcolm was bigger than that.
Malcolm had becomeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xan Afro-American.
And he wanted so desperatelyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthat we,
that all his peopleMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwould become Afro-Americans too.
There are those who
still consider it their dutyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas friends of the Negro people,
to tell usMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto revile him.
To flee, even from
the presence of his memory.
To save ourselvesMalcolm X
Malcolm Xby writing him out of
the history of our turbulent times.
And we will smile.
They will say that
he is of hate, a fanaticMalcolm X
Malcolm Xa racist, who can only bring
evil to the causeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor which you struggle.
And we will answer and
say unto them:
"Did you ever talkMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto Brother Malcolm?
Did you ever touch himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor have him smile at you?
Did you ever really listen to him?"
"Was he ever associated with violence
or any public disturbance?
For if you did, you would know him.
And if you knew himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xyou would know why
we must honor him. "
Malcolm was our manhood.
Our living, black manhood.
This was his meaning
to his people.
And in honoring him, we honor
the best in ourselves.
However much we may have
differed with himMalcolm X
Malcolm Xor with each other about him
and his value as a manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xlet his going from us serveMalcolm X
Malcolm Xonly to bring us together nowMalcolm X
Malcolm Xconsigning these mortal
remains to earthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xthe common mother of allMalcolm X
Malcolm Xsecure in the knowledge
that what we place in the groundMalcolm X
Malcolm Xis no more now a manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbut a seedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich after the winter of
our discontentMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwill come forth again
to meet us.
And we shall know him thenMalcolm X
Malcolm Xfor what he was and is:
A prince.
Our own black shining princeMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwho didn't hesitate to dieMalcolm X
Malcolm XbecauseMalcolm X
Malcolm Xhe loved us so.
And so todayMalcolm X
Malcolm XMay we celebrate
Malcolm X's birthdayMalcolm X
Malcolm Xbecause he was
a great, great Afro-American.
Malcolm X is you, all of you.
And you are Malcolm X.
l'm Malcolm X!
l'm Malcolm X!
l'm Malcolm X!
As Brother Malcolm said:
"We declareMalcolm X
Malcolm Xour rightMalcolm X
Malcolm Xon this earthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be a manMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be a human beingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be given the rightsMalcolm X
Malcolm Xof a human beingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xto be respectedMalcolm X
Malcolm Xas a human beingMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin this societyMalcolm X
Malcolm Xon this earthMalcolm X
Malcolm Xin this dayMalcolm X
Malcolm Xwhich we intend to bringMalcolm X
Malcolm Xinto existence--"
--by any means necessary!