Malcolm X was a Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Islam, he was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment.
He often disagreed with other civil rights activists; indeed, it is critical to have different voices and varying opinions that strive for the same goal - the collective liberation of all. Malcolm X was brutally murdered in February of 1965.
I was first introduced to him by reading “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” by the civil rights leader himself, as told to Alex Haley, and later watching Spike Lee’s movie, “Malcolm X”.
“Who taught you to hate yourself?” is among many of my favorite quotes from him, but when X states, “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything,” I feel he is speaking to the corrupt, attention seeking nature of those who are focused on fame and fortune, not liberation.
Does Malcolm X’s quote resonate with you? In what ways? Share in the comments!