I have to thank the lovely Nikki Oh from Ohverly Critical for this one, because, unfortunately, I don’t know a lot about Malcolm X (aside from watching the classic movie), so I got some help. The article you’ll read was posted last year, but it’s still relevant. Goes into a brief synopsis of his life and adds in a few of his more memorable quotes. Malcolm X has been the source of inspiration for a lot of leaders who believed in being proactive against racism as opposed to the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. Whether you agree with his ways, Malcolm X was a powerful man with strong ideals & beliefs. I’m definitely yearning to learn more about him, and I definitely will. Rest in Peace & Happy Birthday.

(via The Grio)

There are few figures in the black freedom struggle as dynamic and complex as Malcolm X who would have celebrated his 87th birthday if he were still alive today. Dr. Manning Marable‘s recently released book, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, has helped spark new debate and renewed popular interest in this iconoclastic and central figure of the civil rights era.

Before his life was taken by the bullets of assassins, some of whom may have never been brought to justice for their crimes, Malcolm X was on a breathtaking journey building new organizations and planting the seeds of a global Pan-African movement to help address the crisis faced by blacks in urban America. Dr. Marable’s new work methodically peels back the layers and helps shed light on the real Malcolm X, who, though imperfect and flawed as the rest of us, was steadily undergoing personal transformation and evolving politically. But just as powerful as his actions were his words which struck chords, ignited debates and roused audiences all over the globe.

Read the rest of the article here