Alex Haley Interviews Malcolm X
This article presents an interview conducted with Malcolm X in 1963 less than two years before he was assassinated in Harlem at the Audubon Ballroom. The interview was conducted by Alex Haley, who later was the co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X after which he wrote his own ground breaking tour de force, Roots. The interview provided an opportunity for Malcolm X, spiritual and political leader, to present his views and beliefs on his role in the civil rights struggle as well as his views on being a Black Muslim and how he felt Muhammad could lead the Black people to a state of betterment.
This outcome, he exerts, would result in the white people beginning to view the blacks as they truly are, which would finally allow blacks to successfully fight for equality. Although it is impossible to tell the tone of voice or use other auditory cues to infer mood since this interview is written, there is still the impression in many places that Malcolm X is angry at white society and also somewhat at the black community for creating the situation of inequality they now find themselves.
The interview begins with a question about how Malcolm X views the ambition of the Black Muslims. He replies that the primary goals are “freedom, justice, and equality.” He goes on to discuss how, in his opinion, Muhammad can help guide the black people to assume their rightful position as equals to whites in the U.S. He states that Muhammad can teach the black man about himself as well as about his people and help to heal the problems facing the black people including morals, mental state and spirituality. He states that Muhammad can help black men overcome vices that have proven to be obstacles to equality and led them to be unable to see the significance of what was holding them back. He states, He stops black men from getting drunk, stops their dope addiction if they had it, stops nicotine, gambling, stealing, lying, cheating, fornication, adultery, prostitution, juvenile delinquency. I think of this whenever somebody talks about someone investigating us. Why investigate the Honorable Elijah Muhammad? They should subsidize him. He’s cleaning up the mess that white men have made. He’s saving the Government millions of dollars, taking black men off of welfare, showing them how to do something for themselves. In this statement, Malcolm X appears to be angry at the whites and the white government, for investigating the Black Muslim Movement instead of praising it, and its leader for taking care of the problems the whites created. He believes that part of the solution to making a successful bid for equality is for blacks to learn new skills and employ those they have instead of using welfare as an excuse not to try. He appears to believe that the reason the government provides the black people with welfare is to prevent them from gaining the motivation they need to strengthen their abilities and prove to the whites that they truly are every bit as equal as they claim. Malcolm X also states that the whites have taught the blacks to hate themselves, to see themselves as inferior to whites with the result being a divided community. He believes that Muhammad teaches the blacks to love their own people and to work together, combining their resources and abilities in order to achieve a common goal. Improving the black’s financial status and savings and land ownership are critical to the advancement of the black people according to Malcolm X, but he feels that the black people need to learn to be independent of the whites who have brainwashed them. Total independence is critical to Malcolm X, and he states, “We must learn to become our own producers, manufacturers and traders; we must have industry of our own, to …show more content…
He believes the white people need someone that they can feel superior to and that the blacks need to separate themselves from the whites and white society. Malcolm X believes that only then can the black man learn how to take care of things by himself and reach his full potential, and ultimately succeed in his struggle for equality and even superiority over the white
This article presents an interview conducted with Malcolm X in 1963 less than two years before he was assassinated in Harlem at the Audubon Ballroom. The interview was conducted by Alex Haley, who later was the co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X after which he wrote his own ground breaking tour de force, Roots. The interview provided an opportunity for Malcolm X, spiritual and political leader, to present his views and beliefs on his role in the civil rights struggle as well as his views on being a Black Muslim and how he felt Muhammad could lead the Black people to a state of betterment.
This outcome, he exerts, would result in the white people beginning to view the blacks as they truly are, which would finally allow blacks to successfully fight for equality. Although it is impossible to tell the tone of voice or use other auditory cues to infer mood since this interview is written, there is still the impression in many places that Malcolm X is angry at white society and also somewhat at the black community for creating the situation of inequality they now find themselves.
The interview begins with a question about how Malcolm X views the ambition of the Black Muslims. He replies that the primary goals are “freedom, justice, and equality.” He goes on to discuss how, in his opinion, Muhammad can help guide the black people to assume their rightful position as equals to whites in the U.S. He states that Muhammad can teach the black man about himself as well as about his people and help to heal the problems facing the black people including morals, mental state and spirituality. He states that Muhammad can help black men overcome vices that have proven to be obstacles to equality and led them to be unable to see the significance of what was holding them back. He states, He stops black men from getting drunk, stops their dope addiction if they had it, stops nicotine, gambling, stealing, lying, cheating, fornication, adultery, prostitution, juvenile delinquency. I think of this whenever somebody talks about someone investigating us. Why investigate the Honorable Elijah Muhammad? They should subsidize him. He’s cleaning up the mess that white men have made. He’s saving the Government millions of dollars, taking black men off of welfare, showing them how to do something for themselves. In this statement, Malcolm X appears to be angry at the whites and the white government, for investigating the Black Muslim Movement instead of praising it, and its leader for taking care of the problems the whites created. He believes that part of the solution to making a successful bid for equality is for blacks to learn new skills and employ those they have instead of using welfare as an excuse not to try. He appears to believe that the reason the government provides the black people with welfare is to prevent them from gaining the motivation they need to strengthen their abilities and prove to the whites that they truly are every bit as equal as they claim. Malcolm X also states that the whites have taught the blacks to hate themselves, to see themselves as inferior to whites with the result being a divided community. He believes that Muhammad teaches the blacks to love their own people and to work together, combining their resources and abilities in order to achieve a common goal. Improving the black’s financial status and savings and land ownership are critical to the advancement of the black people according to Malcolm X, but he feels that the black people need to learn to be independent of the whites who have brainwashed them. Total independence is critical to Malcolm X, and he states, “We must learn to become our own producers, manufacturers and traders; we must have industry of our own, to …show more content…
He believes the white people need someone that they can feel superior to and that the blacks need to separate themselves from the whites and white society. Malcolm X believes that only then can the black man learn how to take care of things by himself and reach his full potential, and ultimately succeed in his struggle for equality and even superiority over the white