Malcolm X: 50 Years On…

Today, on the 50th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination, I’m remembering his legacy and giving thanks for the incredible opportunity I had this year to research his time in Lebanon and Sudan for my article in a Special Issue of the Journal of Africana Religions: “The Meaning of Malcolm X for Africana Religions: Fifty Years On.” A few weeks ago, when I gave a talk on Malcolm X’s connections to Africa and the Middle East at the American University of Beirut, I was inspired by the diversity of the audience interested in his life and legacy–Lebanese, Syrian, Sudanese, Indonesian, German, and American students, professors, diplomats, and migrant workers. When I was following in Malcolm X’s footsteps in Sudan, I often found myself wondering how he would respond to current events today in America and around the world. In the NYTimes today, Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabbaz shares her opinion of what Malcolm X would think about activism and widespread police violence in America. She writes: “We have softened to the point of apathy, and everyone is so easily distracted from activism by pop culture and high-tech consumerism. How can we expect change when no one feels accountable to provide justice — including grand juries and district attorneys?” It is my sincere hope that the 50th anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination will inspire more urgent and potent demands for justice, equality, and accountability not just in America but around the world…