Today is the anniversary of the assasination of our revolutionary African brother el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, also known as Malcom X. Swipe to see some quotes of his that are my guiding light.
My politics and the politics of so many abolitionists are primarily informed by Malcom X’s legacy, his timeless wisdom and unwavering commitment to securing human rights for oppressed people globally. His vision of an Africa, united with the Black diaspora is a dream I hold.
As the western empire crumbles under the weight of its contradictions, it can be easy to despair and wait to be swallowed up in the rot. But the injustices we are witnessing are only one aspect of reality. Even in the 1960s, Malcom X refused to give into thoughts of hopelessness. He was too attuned to the global community to succumb. He felt confident justice would be realized because he looked to the people the imperial media tries to erase. The communities that are exploited in order for the western world to thrive are rising up and recognizing their power and divine rights.
‘But when you find those of us who have been following the nationalistic thinking that prevails in Harlem, we don’t think of ourselves as a minority, because we don’t think of ourselves just within the context of the American stage or the American scene, in which we would be a minority. We think of things worldly, or as the world is; we think of our part in the world, and we look upon ourselves not as a dark minority on the white American stage, but rather we look upon ourselves as a part of the dark majority who now prevail on the world stage. And when you think like this automatically, when you realize you are part of the majority, you approach your problem as if odds are on your side rather than odds are against you.” -Malcom X 1965
I wish he could see the way our people are continuing to build solidarity and meaningful power against imperialism and racism. May his memory continue to be a flame that ignites our fight for justice and liberation.
In remembrance of his legacy I’m sharing a portrait of him that I illustrated and pages focused on Malcom X from my Pan African Revolutionaries zine. The zine is available as a free pdf on my site and also includes portraits and quotes from Angela Davis, Assata Shakur and Thomas Sankara 🐉
