Last month, Houston had the honor of welcoming two young radicals at the forefront of the conscious revolution taking place among progressive minds. JR Valrey is a well-known author, activist and journalist from Oakland, California. His first book, Block Reportin, chronicles several years worth of interviews with notables in entertainment, politics and beyond. Beyond simple conversations, the book documents some of the most significant cultural events to take place in the new millenium to date in the words of individuals whose lives are now or have been directly affected by their outcomes. From the 2009 police murder of Oscar Grant to the so-called "legal" execution of Stan "Tookie" Williams, JR's brand of unapologetically honest journalism, as demonstrated on the pages of Block Reportin, speaks straight to the heart of the issues behind the headlines and clearly illustrates why he is aptly named the People's Minister of Information.
There are few men who have walked this earth and left such a lasting impression that their names evoke respect internationally from men and women of all walks of life, age group and racial identity. The late, great Malcolm X was a peace maker and revolutionary thinker who ushered the consciousness of an entire nation, and yes, even the world into a new era of healing our racial, social and political wounds. He has been and will always be remembered as one of the greatest leaders our people have ever known, period. Hajj Malcolm El Shabazz was born nearly twenty years after the assassination of his grandfather. Many would hide in the shadow of such a great man, but Hajj Malcolm has become a force within his own rite. He has experienced more in just shy of 3 decades, than many twice his senior. He lives, not only to tell of it, but to inspire others by what he has done and learned since then.
JR and Hajj Malcolm have been traveling around the country together on a speaking tour, sharing their experiences and insight into issues affecting the people of the world today with audiences large and small. Their stop in Houston marked an historic occasion for the Bayou City, as we celebrated both leadership and legacy in these two young visionaries.
Both: Tell us a little about the tour. Where have you been so far? Any memorable experiences? Did you ever dream of traveling the world and touching the lives of so many?
JR: On this particular leg of the tour, we have traveled throughout the state of Texas over the last two weeks. We spent time speaking at schools, community centers, and bookstores pushing our people to get organized, and to work together. The most memorable things for me about this tour were some of the old colorful personalities that I reconnected with, as well as the new people I met. In Houston, you and me had some time to discuss media among other things, we met the Black rockers from Peekaboo Theory, in Austin my longtime Oakland homie who recently moved, rapper Queen Deelah, came out. Videographer Eddie Abrams also came out. A family cooked dinner for us, and we stayed with former Black Panther political prisoner Robert King of the Angola 3, and did a presentation for the National Black United Front and at Resistencia bookstore. In Houston, where we were paralyzed from the heat, we met up with a youth summer camp, and in Fort Worth we went to Dock’s Book Shop. I didn’t know that I would touch the lives of so many, but ever since I was really young, I knew my life had a purpose.
Hajj Malcolm: I really stress the importance of education, and unity. So, I’ve been on a national campaign along with the People's Minister of Information, JR, to raise awareness and promote this unity amongst those of us who have a common cause, similar aims and objectives and have the ability to distinguish friend from foe. Some of the places we’ve recently toured include Chicago, Detroit and Gary, Indiana where we connected with the grandson of Jeff Fort who started the Black P Stone Nation; we established a line with Larry Hoover of the Gangster Disciples and sat down with some of the top generals of the Vice Lord organization. In California, we conversed with Lil’ Tookie who is the son of the late Stanley “Tookie” Williams who was executed on Death Row by Arnold Schwarzenegger. And one of the elders whom I consult with, and respect the most would be T. Rogers of Black P Stone Jungle out of Los Angeles. Though all of these conferences have centered around the promotion of unity amongst those of us individuals & organizations who share general common points of interest. So it was in this same vein that we toured several cities throughout Texas; including Houston, Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth. We screened a documentary produced by JR entitled "Operation Small Axe" which highlights the Oscar Grant case, as well as police brutality and terrorism in general and discussed the trappings of the mainstream media, among other things. One of the highlights for me was to be welcomed to stay with former political prisoner Robert King Wilkerson of the Angola 3 who served 31 years in U.S. concentration camps, and 29 of which was served in solitary confinement.
JR, your book, Block Reportin’ has been very well received. How was that project birthed? Do you have plans to write any others in the future?
JR: The idea was birthed several years ago, most notably when my son’s mother started telling me how interesting my interviews were. She stressed that I get a book organized, and helped formulate a concept for it. This was in 2006-2007. It took 4-5 years for me to finish and be happy with it. I do have plans to write more books. I’ll probably start, by just continuing the Block Reportin’ series, which consists of compilations of interviews; I’m working on part two now, which will include India.Arie and Herbie Hancock, as well as Bobby Seale, the co-founder of the Black Panther Party, among others.
Hajj Malcolm, how do you balance external pressures regarding your lineage and legacy with your personal mission?
Hajj Malcolm: Growing up people often expected me to be a certain type of way because of who my grandfather is, and the family that I come from, but I often rebelled against that. I don't feel that it's ever beneficial to encourage someone to fill in or replace someone else's shoes, but rather one should be encouraged to grow within their own shoes, and to feel comfortable growing within who they are. So, growing up I often had difficulty dealing with that pressure. However, today I'm more of a revolutionary than a reactionary. It must also be bore in mind that my legacy doesn't just begin with my grandfather, and it won't end with me. The legacy is not about me, and it isn't suspended in the time frame of the here and now... When my aunts are gone and when I'm gone, we have children that will still be here. And ultimately, my daughter Ilyasah won't have to just say that her great-grandfather is Malcolm X, but that her father is Malcolm Shabazz, and that she is Ilyasah Shabazz.
Both: How did this inspirational partnership begin and what do you hope to achieve with this tour?
JR: I wrote Malcolm, along with my comrade Ra’Shida, when he was in jail in the mid 2000’s. Years went by, Malcolm tracked my number down, and I got a call out of the blue telling me that he was on his way to California. Since then we have been all over together.
Hajj Malcolm: Back in 2003 when I was behind the wall I began to correspond with Yuri Kochiama who is a Japanese revolutionary that spent time in the United States's Japanese concentration camps of the 1940's. She later became one of my grandfather's greatest followers & supporters. She was there the day he was assassinated, and was the first person by his side giving him C.P.R. After reading one of my letters she had asked me for permission to have an excerpt from it published in the San Francisco "Bayview" newspaper to which M.O.I. JR Valrey was a writer. Over the course of the next couple years JR published some of my writings, as well as wrote to me and accepted my calls. I felt the energy, and I had made it known then that if there was anything that I could do to support the movement-even from behind the wall-then I would be of service. However, I was just advised to get home safely. Here it is years later, and I wouldn't have thought then that today JR and I would be organizing and traveling the world together. One thing that Yuri always advised me to do was to get my team together and keep my circle tight. Birds of a feather flock together, meaning that you're only as good as the company that you keep. Between me and JR, it will always be love and loyalty; death before dishonor!!
Both: Was this your first trip to Houston?
JR: This was not my first trip to Houston. It was the first time that we organized an event together in Houston.
Hajj Malcolm: I'm no stranger to Texas at all. I actually lived in San Antonio for some time when I was 12 years old. As for Houston, shout out to Al Hadi Islamic Ctr., Sheikh Mekki, Hajj Ali Jaffry, my brother Rashad and the lovely Fatima Licir (Algeria Stand up!).
Both: What, if any, type of impression did the Houston community make on you?
JR: I love Houston and the hospitality of people in Texas as a whole, at the same time, I also recognize that Texas needs some of Oakland’s revolutionary fire and initiative.
Hajj Malcolm: Houston has to be one my favorite cities in Texas.
Both: Is the spirit of the movement in Houston on par with other cities you’ve seen? If not, can you offer any words of advice to help us become stronger?
JR: In my opinion there are some strengths and weaknesses that I have encountered with the people I met in Houston on this tour. The hospitality was great. We never needed a whole lot of money. We had something to eat, and places to sleep. Now, when it comes to discussing practical strategies to deal with community issues, there seems to be a weakness in that department. I met a lot of people who loved to pontificate, but were not talking about anything practical. There’s a certain amount of timidness that exists in our people here more than anything.
Hajj Malcolm: Every where you go in the country there's a different vibe, and you will encounter differences; there are differences in ideology, religion, culture, particular histories and even speech. We speak differently. The Bay area of California is one of my favorite places because the people are very revolutionary spirited and military-minded. When an injustice is perpetuated by corrupt authority, then they generally have to bring out the national guard. I observed a fair degree of dissatisfaction in Texas, yet each time the person felt as if they were alone and that others weren't willing to take action. I'm a firm believer that one is only as good as the company they keep. And my advice would be that people network; meet and work along with others who share similar interests.
Both: Do you feel you have a particular audience that receives your message? More specifically, as young men yourselves, do you have a youth-centered aspect to your agenda?
JR: I have a target audience and that is young Black people living in the hood, at the same time, other people who do not fit that profile can also learn from what we think is important in our community. One of my missions is to get the Black community better politically educated, so that we will be informed enough to fight in our interest, specifically the youngsters.
Hajj Malcolm: I don't have a "particular" target audience. I appeal internationally to many people from various backgrounds, and walks of life. I speak at mosques, churches, universities, alternative high schools, juvenile detention and community centers.
Both: Speak to others, young and old, who say there’s no sense in educating themselves or getting involved with anything. Why is it important for brothers and sisters to learn who they are and to stand for something?
JR: First off, basic U.S. history starts with our people, Black people, being brought here in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, which means from the very beginning of the colonization of this place we now call the U.S.A., the powers that be were at war with us and thought that we only survived to serve their interests and needs. If we fast forward to today, not much has changed. It is important to have a political worldview so that you know what side of the fence your interests lie on. Without a political worldview, it is impossible to judge your friends from your enemies. It is important to stand for something, because this world belongs to all of us. So we might as well have a say in how it is governed, since we have to live with the decisions that are made. There are a lot of changes that need to be made to better the living conditions in our neighborhoods and schools, and we should participate in enacting that change, if we truly want to see it.
JR, What advice would you offer to those who have a desire to do be about revolution and activism, but their consciousness is just awakening and they may not know where to begin?
JR: Revolution means complete change, and you can enact revolutionary change in your community, or at least in the minds of its residents when you organize campaigns within your capacity and get the desired results. A huge part of revolutionary community work is working with the knowledge and skills of community members, to collectively take more power over our lives. I would encourage people to learn about the international history of resistance of the oppressed against the oppressors. Some people that should be studied are Malcolm X, Huey P. Newton, Ida B. Wells, Steve Biko, Patrice Lamumba, Winnie Mandela, Frantz Fanon, Amilicar Cabral, Kwame Nkrumah, Queen Nzinga, Assata Shakur, Mumia Abu Jamal, George Jackson, just to name a few.
Hajj Malcolm, if you were charged with presenting the State of the Union address, what would your main points be?
Hajj Malcolm: Again, I would have to stress the importance of unity and solidarity. Just as you have the European Union which is made up of countries like France (where I was born, unfortunately), Germany, Belgium, Holland, England, Spain,etc. These nations may not necessarily like each other, get along with one each other and might even open display hostility towards one another. However, they at least have enough common sense to come together for a common cause, to achieve a common goal and to stand up against a common enemy. When it comes time to implement their various imperialist/divide-and-conquer strategies and tactics, they come together quite quick.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Texas Tour Lecture Circuit
Texas Tour Lecture Series with Hajj Malcolm Shabazz and MOI JR Valrey
By: Seidah Williams
The People’s Lunch Counter – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter (PLC) and The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter (MXGM) hosted a Texas Lecture Series with Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X), and Bay Area organizer/journalist JR Valrey, The People’s Minister of Information (MOI), the voice behind Block Report Radio on KPFA and Associate Editor of San Francisco Bay View. The Texas Lecture Series toured Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas through July 5 – 13, 2011.
The events were hosted at the following locations:
July 5, 2011 at 7pm, Nu Deals Book Store, 10758 S. Gessner, Houston, Texas 77071
July 6, 2011 at 7pm, S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, 3903 Almeda, Houston, Texas 77004
July 7, 2011 at 7pm, Sedition Books, 901 Richmond Ave, Houston, Texas 77006
July 8, 2011 at 7pm, Orun Center for Cultural Arts, 1401 B Cedar Ave, Austin, TX 78702
July 9, 2011 at 2pm, Mitchie’s Gallery, 7801 N. Lamar Blvd. Building B Suite 148, Austin, TX 78752
July 10, 2011 at 7pm, Resistencia Bookstore, 1801 South 1st Street #A, Austin, TX 78704
July 11, 2011 at 10am, South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 South Fitzhugh Ave, Dallas, Texas 75210
July 12, 2011 at 7pm, PanAfrican Connection Bookstore, 828 Fourth Ave, Dallas, Texas 75226
July 13, 2011 at 7pm, Dock Bookshop, 6637 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76112
Hajj Malcolm Shabazz and MOI JR Valrey spoke to several audiences of all ages roughly over 300 people in Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. The events were designed to raise awareness and to inspire the people, especially the youth, to join local movements to fight against police brutality and the issues that we face. They commented on several topics – building a strong network to bring about positive change, the political prisoner movement, the powerless vs. those with power, inferior education, 80 percent incarceration of black people who represent only 12 percent of the total population, and politicians pitting us against each other. From city to city, Malcolm and MOI JR worked together to address the common issues that plague our communities and created a platform for the people to come and network with like-minded individuals to spark the process of organization. Hajj Malcolm calls America “the land of smoke and mirrors” because the mainstream media and political leaders mislead and manipulate the truth to keep the people oppressed and confused. MOI JR also stressed the importance of controlling our own media outlets to enforce what his comrade Hajj Malcolm highlights, education and unity.
In Dallas, at The South Dallas Cultural Center, Hajj Malcolm and MOR JR gave advice and insight to a group of youth. Speaking openly of his imprisonment as an adolescent, Hajj Malcolm stated that he decided to be a positive source of change for other youth. He urged the youth to not repeat the mistakes that he made, but instead to read and comprehend those forces that, by design, keep them from full development of their potential. MOI JR shared his experience with the youth striving to become writers on what it’s like to be a journalist for the people. He shared his experience of being on the frontline with the Oscar Grant case and even the pleasures of interviewing important leaders and artist. MOI JR emphasized the importance of developing the writing skills that could be used for a career with the newspaper or to even write and publish their own books.
Hajj Malcolm Shabazz is the grandson of the late great El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcom X). El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was assassinated in front of his family on February 21, 1965. This was a move by COINTELPRO to silence one of the strongest and most effective revolutionary voices of black people in the US to date. After his assassination, his writings and teachings really took root in the minds of a new generation later known as the Black Panther Party. Even today his life is an example of a true revolutionary and inspires people around the world. Forty-five years later, his grandson and 1st male heir, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz has been touring across the world speaking on a variety of topics including his own life and legacy – in his words, mainstream media, political prisoners, youth and the criminal justice system, what it is like to be the grandson of the Revolutionary icon Malcolm X and about his recent hajj to Mecca and journey to Libya, Africa for the Pan-Afrikan Conference sponsored in part by the African Union.
The People’s Minister of Information (MOI) JR Valrey is an organizer/journalist from the Bay area that speaks the truth to the people through his articles and radio shows. He is the voice behind Block Report Radio on KPFA and Associate Editor of the San Francisco Bay View. His work is dedicated to informing and educating Black and Brown people, promoting political artists and sharing vital news about the struggle against oppression across the country. MOI JR screened the documentary that he produced “Operation Small Axe”, highlighting the Oscar Grant murder by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle and police terrorism in Oakland and the Bay Area of California. He also introduced his newly published book “Block Reportin” a collection of interviews with local political leaders, national black resistance leaders, and artists, such as Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, Freeway Ricky Ross, Paul Mooney, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz and many more. MOI JR Valrey spoke on Police Brutality, his experience as a journalist to Tripoli, Libya for the Pan-Afrikan Conference, and his case with the Oakland Police Department falsely accusing him of arson during the Oscar Grant protest.
The People’s Lunch Counter and The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement would like to thank the many organizations and individuals that made this tour a reality. Our focus is to provide an atmosphere that nurtures and develops self determination by the way of community
You can contact us at:
http://malcolmshabazz.blogspot.com/
http://www.blockreportradio.com
http://facebook.com/plc.dallas or email: seidah333@gmail.com
By: Seidah Williams
The People’s Lunch Counter – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter (PLC) and The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter (MXGM) hosted a Texas Lecture Series with Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X), and Bay Area organizer/journalist JR Valrey, The People’s Minister of Information (MOI), the voice behind Block Report Radio on KPFA and Associate Editor of San Francisco Bay View. The Texas Lecture Series toured Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas through July 5 – 13, 2011.
The events were hosted at the following locations:
July 5, 2011 at 7pm, Nu Deals Book Store, 10758 S. Gessner, Houston, Texas 77071
July 6, 2011 at 7pm, S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, 3903 Almeda, Houston, Texas 77004
July 7, 2011 at 7pm, Sedition Books, 901 Richmond Ave, Houston, Texas 77006
July 8, 2011 at 7pm, Orun Center for Cultural Arts, 1401 B Cedar Ave, Austin, TX 78702
July 9, 2011 at 2pm, Mitchie’s Gallery, 7801 N. Lamar Blvd. Building B Suite 148, Austin, TX 78752
July 10, 2011 at 7pm, Resistencia Bookstore, 1801 South 1st Street #A, Austin, TX 78704
July 11, 2011 at 10am, South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 South Fitzhugh Ave, Dallas, Texas 75210
July 12, 2011 at 7pm, PanAfrican Connection Bookstore, 828 Fourth Ave, Dallas, Texas 75226
July 13, 2011 at 7pm, Dock Bookshop, 6637 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76112
Hajj Malcolm Shabazz and MOI JR Valrey spoke to several audiences of all ages roughly over 300 people in Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. The events were designed to raise awareness and to inspire the people, especially the youth, to join local movements to fight against police brutality and the issues that we face. They commented on several topics – building a strong network to bring about positive change, the political prisoner movement, the powerless vs. those with power, inferior education, 80 percent incarceration of black people who represent only 12 percent of the total population, and politicians pitting us against each other. From city to city, Malcolm and MOI JR worked together to address the common issues that plague our communities and created a platform for the people to come and network with like-minded individuals to spark the process of organization. Hajj Malcolm calls America “the land of smoke and mirrors” because the mainstream media and political leaders mislead and manipulate the truth to keep the people oppressed and confused. MOI JR also stressed the importance of controlling our own media outlets to enforce what his comrade Hajj Malcolm highlights, education and unity.
In Dallas, at The South Dallas Cultural Center, Hajj Malcolm and MOR JR gave advice and insight to a group of youth. Speaking openly of his imprisonment as an adolescent, Hajj Malcolm stated that he decided to be a positive source of change for other youth. He urged the youth to not repeat the mistakes that he made, but instead to read and comprehend those forces that, by design, keep them from full development of their potential. MOI JR shared his experience with the youth striving to become writers on what it’s like to be a journalist for the people. He shared his experience of being on the frontline with the Oscar Grant case and even the pleasures of interviewing important leaders and artist. MOI JR emphasized the importance of developing the writing skills that could be used for a career with the newspaper or to even write and publish their own books.
Hajj Malcolm Shabazz is the grandson of the late great El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcom X). El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was assassinated in front of his family on February 21, 1965. This was a move by COINTELPRO to silence one of the strongest and most effective revolutionary voices of black people in the US to date. After his assassination, his writings and teachings really took root in the minds of a new generation later known as the Black Panther Party. Even today his life is an example of a true revolutionary and inspires people around the world. Forty-five years later, his grandson and 1st male heir, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz has been touring across the world speaking on a variety of topics including his own life and legacy – in his words, mainstream media, political prisoners, youth and the criminal justice system, what it is like to be the grandson of the Revolutionary icon Malcolm X and about his recent hajj to Mecca and journey to Libya, Africa for the Pan-Afrikan Conference sponsored in part by the African Union.
The People’s Minister of Information (MOI) JR Valrey is an organizer/journalist from the Bay area that speaks the truth to the people through his articles and radio shows. He is the voice behind Block Report Radio on KPFA and Associate Editor of the San Francisco Bay View. His work is dedicated to informing and educating Black and Brown people, promoting political artists and sharing vital news about the struggle against oppression across the country. MOI JR screened the documentary that he produced “Operation Small Axe”, highlighting the Oscar Grant murder by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle and police terrorism in Oakland and the Bay Area of California. He also introduced his newly published book “Block Reportin” a collection of interviews with local political leaders, national black resistance leaders, and artists, such as Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, Freeway Ricky Ross, Paul Mooney, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz and many more. MOI JR Valrey spoke on Police Brutality, his experience as a journalist to Tripoli, Libya for the Pan-Afrikan Conference, and his case with the Oakland Police Department falsely accusing him of arson during the Oscar Grant protest.
The People’s Lunch Counter and The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement would like to thank the many organizations and individuals that made this tour a reality. Our focus is to provide an atmosphere that nurtures and develops self determination by the way of community
You can contact us at:
http://malcolmshabazz.blogspot.com/
http://www.blockreportradio.com
http://facebook.com/plc.dallas or email: seidah333@gmail.com
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Malcolm Shabazz Engages Santa Cruz
Grandson of Malcolm X disputes new book on the Muslim leader
By SHANNA McCORD
Posted: 07/19/2011 10:01:25 PM PDT
Grandson of Malcolm X, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, talks to a group at Barrios... (John Williams/Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ - Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of Malcolm X, visited Santa Cruz on Tuesday to talk about politics, prison treatment, the uprising in Libya and the legacy of his grandfather.
Shabazz, 26, spoke to an audience of roughly 50 people at Barrios Unidos, the longtime nonprofit dedicated to preventing gang violence. The event was designed to raise money for the San Francisco Bay View, a largely black publication.
Since being released from prison two years ago, Shabazz, who lives in New York City and attends John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has traveled throughout the world to address matters of social injustice, mistreatment in U.S. prisons and religion. He calls America "the land of smoke and mirrors" because he believes its leaders, of all political parties, don't often practice what they preach to the rest of the world.
For example, he said, the U.S. is the only country to have dropped a nuclear bomb, but repeatedly demands other nations to abandon their nuclear programs.
Shabazz is a staunch defender of his grandfather, a famous minister with the controversial Nation of Islam in the 1950s.
Malcolm X split from the Nation of Islam and founded The Muslim Mosque before his assassination in February 1965 at age 39. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" is one of the most widely read books ever published.
However, a new book, "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" came out in April that paints the Muslim leader in a less than flattering light.
Shabazz, who was born 20 years after his grandfather's death, says the book written by black history scholar Manning Marable - who died in April before the book was published - is full of "off-the-wall stuff made up out of the blue." In particular, Shabazz disputes Marable describing his grandparents' marriage as "loveless," and that his grandfather was unfaithful.
Tuesday's program at Barrios Unidos included commentary about the hunger strikes taking place at Pelican Bay and Corcoran state prisons since July 1.
Manuel LaFontaine, a strike supporter who has served time in a security housing unit, also known as isolation, said the community needs to band together to protect prisoners from mistreatment.
"We gotta be more than just activists," LaFontaine said. "These brothers need us. The body can only last so long. If this continues, we actually have a life and death matter on our hands."
By SHANNA McCORD
Posted: 07/19/2011 10:01:25 PM PDT
Grandson of Malcolm X, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, talks to a group at Barrios... (John Williams/Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ - Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of Malcolm X, visited Santa Cruz on Tuesday to talk about politics, prison treatment, the uprising in Libya and the legacy of his grandfather.
Shabazz, 26, spoke to an audience of roughly 50 people at Barrios Unidos, the longtime nonprofit dedicated to preventing gang violence. The event was designed to raise money for the San Francisco Bay View, a largely black publication.
Since being released from prison two years ago, Shabazz, who lives in New York City and attends John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has traveled throughout the world to address matters of social injustice, mistreatment in U.S. prisons and religion. He calls America "the land of smoke and mirrors" because he believes its leaders, of all political parties, don't often practice what they preach to the rest of the world.
For example, he said, the U.S. is the only country to have dropped a nuclear bomb, but repeatedly demands other nations to abandon their nuclear programs.
Shabazz is a staunch defender of his grandfather, a famous minister with the controversial Nation of Islam in the 1950s.
Malcolm X split from the Nation of Islam and founded The Muslim Mosque before his assassination in February 1965 at age 39. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" is one of the most widely read books ever published.
However, a new book, "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" came out in April that paints the Muslim leader in a less than flattering light.
Shabazz, who was born 20 years after his grandfather's death, says the book written by black history scholar Manning Marable - who died in April before the book was published - is full of "off-the-wall stuff made up out of the blue." In particular, Shabazz disputes Marable describing his grandparents' marriage as "loveless," and that his grandfather was unfaithful.
Tuesday's program at Barrios Unidos included commentary about the hunger strikes taking place at Pelican Bay and Corcoran state prisons since July 1.
Manuel LaFontaine, a strike supporter who has served time in a security housing unit, also known as isolation, said the community needs to band together to protect prisoners from mistreatment.
"We gotta be more than just activists," LaFontaine said. "These brothers need us. The body can only last so long. If this continues, we actually have a life and death matter on our hands."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Malcolm X Revisited
Malcolm X Revisited Tour
Posted By NatashaR On July 5, 2011 @ 2:45 pm In Culture Stories |
by Natasha Reid
[1]The SF Bay View is holding a fundraiser!
Come and meet the grandson of Malcolm X, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, on his speaking tour hosted by the Minister of Information JR. The tour is addressing the new book, “The Re-invention of Malcolm X [2],” by Manning Marable, which slanders his grandparents.
There are two events being held, one on Saturday, July 16, in Oakland and the other on Tuesday, July 19, in Santa Cruz, both starting at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 9:30 p.m.
The Oakland event will be held at J. Posh Design Studios, 3824 Telegraph Ave. The Santa Cruz event takes place at Barrios Unidos, 1817 Soquel Ave.
Come and join in the lively discussions!
There will be a $10 admission at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Your contributions are much appreciated by the Bay View. Help us to survive the current Depression and return once again to printing our independent Black liberation newspaper on a WEEKLY basis!
We look forward to seeing you all there. If you need more information, call us at (415) 671-0789 or email editor@sfbayview.com [3]. To keep up with Hajj Malcolm, visit malcolmshabazz.blogspot.com [4], and Minster of Information JR at blockreportradio.com [5]. And keep up with the latest news from the Black community and the Black Diaspora at sfbayview.com [6].
Natasha Reid is a writer of Zimbabwean and Scottish descent, on a transatlantic mission to explore and reveal new truths whilst volunteering at the Bay View. She holds an honors law degree, though her real passion lies in journalism and political awareness. You can contact Natasha at tash.reid7@gmail.com [7]
[1]The SF Bay View is holding a fundraiser!Come and meet the grandson of Malcolm X, Hajj Malcolm Shabazz, on his speaking tour hosted by the Minister of Information JR. The tour is addressing the new book, “The Re-invention of Malcolm X [2],” by Manning Marable, which slanders his grandparents.
There are two events being held, one on Saturday, July 16, in Oakland and the other on Tuesday, July 19, in Santa Cruz, both starting at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 9:30 p.m.
The Oakland event will be held at J. Posh Design Studios, 3824 Telegraph Ave. The Santa Cruz event takes place at Barrios Unidos, 1817 Soquel Ave.
Come and join in the lively discussions!
There will be a $10 admission at the door, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Your contributions are much appreciated by the Bay View. Help us to survive the current Depression and return once again to printing our independent Black liberation newspaper on a WEEKLY basis!
We look forward to seeing you all there. If you need more information, call us at (415) 671-0789 or email editor@sfbayview.com [3]. To keep up with Hajj Malcolm, visit malcolmshabazz.blogspot.com [4], and Minster of Information JR at blockreportradio.com [5]. And keep up with the latest news from the Black community and the Black Diaspora at sfbayview.com [6].
Natasha Reid is a writer of Zimbabwean and Scottish descent, on a transatlantic mission to explore and reveal new truths whilst volunteering at the Bay View. She holds an honors law degree, though her real passion lies in journalism and political awareness. You can contact Natasha at tash.reid7@gmail.com [7]
Friday, June 24, 2011
My Time: Malcolm Shabazz introduced to Annapolis
Published 06/19/11
On the occasion of his grandfather's 86th birthday, young Malcolm Lateff Shabazz gave a 40-minute multi-themed keynote presentation May 19 in Annapolis.
From Top:1. Malcolm Lateff Shabazz, center, meets members of the audience and signs autographs.
2 & 3: A group of attendees and program participants gather for a photograph.
4. Eagle Scout Malcolm X. Dirton, Troop 193, introduces the speaker.
5. The audience listens to Malcolm X’s grandson speak.
He spoke to a capacity-filled audience of people from Annapolis, Baltimore and nearby Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas.
His grandfather, the late El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X, was a Muslim human rights icon of the early 1950s to the mid-1960s. His ideas, activism and leadership helped guide the progress of democracy for African Americans in the United States when racial segregation and discrimination were the status quo.
Like many communities around the country, Annapolis chose to honor Malcolm X's memory and celebrate his legacy. Carl Snowden, director of the State Office of Civil Rights, was the master of ceremonies. The invocation was delivered by Imam Talib Shareef from Masjid Muhammad in Washington, D.C. Imam Shareef is a retired chief master sergeant of the U.S. Air Force.
Vincent Leggett, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, welcomed the guests, citing the historical setting for the event - the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center. The center is located in a large complex providing senior housing, a senior activity center and a Boys and Girls Club. Called the Wiley Bates Heritage Park, it was named for the prominent African-American businessman who provided the original Bates High School to educate Anne Arundel County black children, from 1933 to 1966, when the schools were segregated nationally. Leggett displayed beautiful art work by three Anne Arundel County high school students.
Local songstress Jessica Henderson gave a soul-stirring musical selection, "Someday We'll All Be Free." Five local politicians related how Malcolm X had influenced their lives. They gave young Malcolm a citation from the Anne Arundel County Council and pinned him as an honorary ambassador for the city. Several other community activists were acknowledged. Saisa Neel, a member of the co-sponsoring group, Concerned Muslims of Annapolis, showed a five-minute clip of the life of the late human rights icon. Unexpectedly to Snowden, CMA and Imam Shareef, accompanied by several Imams from various Islamic centers in the area, presented Snowden with a copy of the Holy Qur'an, the Muslim holy book. It was their way of thanking Snowden for active promotion of the rights of African Americans and all other citizens for 42 years in Anne Arundel County.
Eagle Scout Malcolm X. Dirton, of Troop 193 in Baltimore, introduced the keynote speaker. The audience chuckled when they learned that the Eagle Scout was elated to do the introduction, but needed to leave early to prepare for his senior prom.
Thus, amid the old Bates High School memorabilia, young Malcolm moved effortlessly from one topic to another. He commented how the audience reflected much diversity - people from various races, religions, varying ages and political views. He commented that having unity through diversity is best. He summarized 26 years of living in the shadow of his famous grandfather, a man he never knew personally.
Speaking openly of his imprisonment as an adolescent, Malcolm stated that he decided to be a positive source of change for other youth. He has traveled all over the country, urging them not to repeat the mistakes he made, but instead to read and comprehend those forces that, by design, keep them from full development of their potential. Malcolm commented on several problems plaguing Black Americans - the powerless vs. those with power, inferior education, 80 percent incarceration of Black people who represent only 12 percent of the total population, and politicians pitting us against each other.
While Malcolm had many challenges to overcome as a child, he has been able to live and study in several European countries, throughout Africa, and the Middle East. Earlier this year, he completed the obligatory pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. He started studying law while incarcerated and announced that he has been accepted in the John Jay College of Criminal Justice program at The City University of New York. He tries to use his experience to help uplift others who have narrow vision and minimal hope that they can overcome their circumstances. He was accompanied by "urban journalist" JR Valrey, an Oakland, Calif., activist, author and radio personality.
The program ended with a question-and-answer period and with the entire audience holding hands in prayer that our future will be more positive than our past.
The Martin L. King Jr. Committee and the Concerned Muslims of Annapolis thank the many people who attended the program, including a group of detention inmates from Washington, D.C. Judging by the time that the audience lingered to meet and be photographed with young Malcolm Shabazz, the program was quite a success. We are humbly grateful for the contributions of Councilman Daryl Jones, Alderwomen Sheila Finlayson and Classie Hoyle, Alderman Kenny Kirby and for the attendance of several members of the International League of Muslim Women of Washington, D.C. We were delighted that state NAACP President Gerald Stansbury acknowledged one of the greatest legacies of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, that of elevating the battle of African Americans from the domestic (U.S. national) issues to the worldwide stage of international attention. We are humbly grateful for those people who provided security, especially for the excellent work of Annapolis police officer Sgt. Joseph Ridley.
We are most grateful for the hard work of members of both sponsoring groups, without which the program would not have been a reality. This was an excellent example of Christians and Muslims working together successfully.
His grandfather, the late El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X, was a Muslim human rights icon of the early 1950s to the mid-1960s. His ideas, activism and leadership helped guide the progress of democracy for African Americans in the United States when racial segregation and discrimination were the status quo.
Like many communities around the country, Annapolis chose to honor Malcolm X's memory and celebrate his legacy. Carl Snowden, director of the State Office of Civil Rights, was the master of ceremonies. The invocation was delivered by Imam Talib Shareef from Masjid Muhammad in Washington, D.C. Imam Shareef is a retired chief master sergeant of the U.S. Air Force.
Vincent Leggett, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, welcomed the guests, citing the historical setting for the event - the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center. The center is located in a large complex providing senior housing, a senior activity center and a Boys and Girls Club. Called the Wiley Bates Heritage Park, it was named for the prominent African-American businessman who provided the original Bates High School to educate Anne Arundel County black children, from 1933 to 1966, when the schools were segregated nationally. Leggett displayed beautiful art work by three Anne Arundel County high school students.
Local songstress Jessica Henderson gave a soul-stirring musical selection, "Someday We'll All Be Free." Five local politicians related how Malcolm X had influenced their lives. They gave young Malcolm a citation from the Anne Arundel County Council and pinned him as an honorary ambassador for the city. Several other community activists were acknowledged. Saisa Neel, a member of the co-sponsoring group, Concerned Muslims of Annapolis, showed a five-minute clip of the life of the late human rights icon. Unexpectedly to Snowden, CMA and Imam Shareef, accompanied by several Imams from various Islamic centers in the area, presented Snowden with a copy of the Holy Qur'an, the Muslim holy book. It was their way of thanking Snowden for active promotion of the rights of African Americans and all other citizens for 42 years in Anne Arundel County.
Eagle Scout Malcolm X. Dirton, of Troop 193 in Baltimore, introduced the keynote speaker. The audience chuckled when they learned that the Eagle Scout was elated to do the introduction, but needed to leave early to prepare for his senior prom.
Thus, amid the old Bates High School memorabilia, young Malcolm moved effortlessly from one topic to another. He commented how the audience reflected much diversity - people from various races, religions, varying ages and political views. He commented that having unity through diversity is best. He summarized 26 years of living in the shadow of his famous grandfather, a man he never knew personally.
Speaking openly of his imprisonment as an adolescent, Malcolm stated that he decided to be a positive source of change for other youth. He has traveled all over the country, urging them not to repeat the mistakes he made, but instead to read and comprehend those forces that, by design, keep them from full development of their potential. Malcolm commented on several problems plaguing Black Americans - the powerless vs. those with power, inferior education, 80 percent incarceration of Black people who represent only 12 percent of the total population, and politicians pitting us against each other.
While Malcolm had many challenges to overcome as a child, he has been able to live and study in several European countries, throughout Africa, and the Middle East. Earlier this year, he completed the obligatory pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. He started studying law while incarcerated and announced that he has been accepted in the John Jay College of Criminal Justice program at The City University of New York. He tries to use his experience to help uplift others who have narrow vision and minimal hope that they can overcome their circumstances. He was accompanied by "urban journalist" JR Valrey, an Oakland, Calif., activist, author and radio personality.
The program ended with a question-and-answer period and with the entire audience holding hands in prayer that our future will be more positive than our past.
The Martin L. King Jr. Committee and the Concerned Muslims of Annapolis thank the many people who attended the program, including a group of detention inmates from Washington, D.C. Judging by the time that the audience lingered to meet and be photographed with young Malcolm Shabazz, the program was quite a success. We are humbly grateful for the contributions of Councilman Daryl Jones, Alderwomen Sheila Finlayson and Classie Hoyle, Alderman Kenny Kirby and for the attendance of several members of the International League of Muslim Women of Washington, D.C. We were delighted that state NAACP President Gerald Stansbury acknowledged one of the greatest legacies of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, that of elevating the battle of African Americans from the domestic (U.S. national) issues to the worldwide stage of international attention. We are humbly grateful for those people who provided security, especially for the excellent work of Annapolis police officer Sgt. Joseph Ridley.
We are most grateful for the hard work of members of both sponsoring groups, without which the program would not have been a reality. This was an excellent example of Christians and Muslims working together successfully.
— Saisa Neel
Concerned Muslims of Annapolis
Concerned Muslims of Annapolis
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Evolution of Malcolm Shabazz
The Evolution of Malcolm Shabazz
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Today marks the 46th anniversary of Malcolm X's assassination. His grandson, Malcolm Shabazz's life has mirrored a number of the turns his grandfather went through, including time in prison and a transformative pilgrimage to Mecca. Now he is finding inspiration in his family and redefining his life.Sunday, May 22, 2011
Malcolm X grandson decries Marable biography on 86th birthday observation By NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor Published: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:05 AM EDT
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Malcolm X grandson decries Marable biography on 86th birthday observation
By NAYABA ARINDE
Amsterdam News Editor
Published: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:05 AM EDT
Throwing a book at the book, “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention,” Malcolm Shabazz, grandson of Malcolm X, is unimpressed with Manning Marable’s hefty tome written about his world famous relative.
Marable’s book stirred up a virtual hornet’s nest when he noted that although there was no evidence, there was a rumor Malcolm X was involved in homosexual acts during the years he hustled on the streets before gaining knowledge of self. Marable went further and mentioned talk of infidelity by both Malcolm and his wife, Betty.
“The rapper M1 stated that we are all human beings, and as human beings, we do have flaws and contradictions, but we can’t apply homosexuality to my grandfather,” Shabazz told the AmNews. “Homosexuality is against human nature. This is an assassination of his character. Slander. There is no evidence, no facts. They put these claims out there to sell books and to discredit him.”
On Thursday, May 19, the world observes what would have been the 86th birthday of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, Malcolm X. The annual motorcade of cars and buses leave at 9 p.m. from in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building and travel to the Fern Cliff Cemetery to the gravesite shared by Malcolm X and Betty.
In town this weekend for “Malcolm X Week,” Malcolm Shabazz will be speaking at City College on Saturday, May 21 at the Guillermo Morales-Assata Shakur Center in the NAC Building, located at 137th Street and Convent Avenue, at 4 p.m.
“I haven’t read the entire book; I have read excerpts,” Shabazz said of Marable’s controversial biography, which was released last month, mere days before Marable’s passing.
“This book is about making money,” Shabazz charged, “but I had known the man personally since I was about 16 years old. The three main things that stick out in the book to me is how he emphasized the homosexual acts that [he implied] my grandfather was engaged in with a rich white man during his hustling days; how my grandparents had a loveless relationship and were unfaithful to each other; and how my grandfather may have embellished his criminal lifestyle.
“They can’t apply homosexuality to my grandfather at all. To try and do so does not humanize him, it dehumanizes him.. You know, J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI and the CIA were monitoring my grandfather to put out dirt about him. If they couldn’t find anything, what makes anyone think Manning Marable has? Manning Marable is a better researcher and investigator than the FBI and the CIA? The FBI and the CIA put out tapes on Dr. Martin Luther King’s indiscretions and other leaders. They couldn’t find anything on my grandfather, so we don’t try to create something that wasn’t there.”
Shabazz’s point No. 2: “My grandparents had a very unique relationship. It was a model for us as a people. “They had six children together, so they were obviously intimate and they were mating. I have one daughter, and she is a blessing. Unfortunately, her mother and I don’t have the best relationship. I wish I would have more children with one woman, but to have six children to one woman—that shows the love right there.”
The young man further said, “As for my grandmother, after my grandfather passed, she didn’t get remarried a year or two years later or somewhere down the line. You could raise the question, but how could he even know that? My grandmother never got remarried. No one could ever fill that void, fill those shoes. No one out there can ever claim that they had a relationship with my grandmother other than my grandfather. No one can make the claim.”
And for his third point, Shabazz determined, “To say that he embellished his criminal lifestyle…if anything, he downplayed his criminal lifestyle. If anybody is writing about themselves, they are not going to tell all the dirt they did.
“My grandfather spoke out against the social ills that led to situations that produced criminal lifestyles. One thing is though, people from all walks of life, from pimps to a drug addict, drug dealer, convicts, they all can all look at him and think, ‘He’s been in my shoes and look where he is now.’ What did he represent to our people? He is an inspiration. He’s a perfect example of the epitome of change.”
While the 27-year-old father of one said he has not spoken to anyone from Marable’s group, “This is the first time I’m speaking about it. There are way more important things to talk about than the Manning Marable book, which is about making money at the end of the day.”
He questioned why the author “hasn’t relied on any information from the Shabazz family, the Little family, personal family friends, supporters or associates—people who are alive today like Earl Grant, [who is] living in California. He was a member of the OAAU. He was right by my grandfather’s second in command. Or A. Peter Bailey, who was also in the OAAU with my grandfather. Where did this information come from? A third or fourth party?”
Citing the Bible and how it has been revised so many times, Shabazz said sometimes with powerful books, “The truth is there to attract you. And there are falsehoods there to entrap you—and that’s not scholarly.”
“I’ve spoken to Manning Marable several times since I was 16,” Shabazz noted, adding that he never thought Marable would write such a book about his grandfather. In a world where there is a sometimes a state of “education versus certification,” Shabazz said “it’s unfortunate” that there are certain “intellectual leaders” who are able to position themselves to be authorities on issues that they have little or no personal knowledge. “Sometimes we have these people who are raised with a silver spoon in their mouths their whole life, but take the position of being a spokesperson for the people or talk about shared experiences that they just haven’t been through,” said Shabazz.
He quoted the eulogy that actor Ossie Davis delivered at his grandfather’s funeral, in which he called Malcolm X “our Black shining prince, our Black shining manhood.” “They took that and put homosexual on top of that,” said Shabazz. “They want to promote homosexuality at the end of the day. When I was at school, people were not openly gay; today, people are saying they are gay in the first grade. It’s really acceptable today. They want to promote that today to our people with one of our greatest leaders. But there is no proof, there’s no basis, no facts.”
Asked if this is the consensus with the Shabazz family, he replied, “My aunts and my mother are probably more emotional about it than I am. I just want to protect them. That’s their father. They watched him get murdered. They remember that. Everything their father represents is real personal.”
As he finishes his own book, a coming-of-age memoir packed with social political commentary, the man who was 12-years-old when he was charged with setting the fire that killed his grandmother in 1996, said his book will touch on many issues, including previously undisclosed facts.
Shabazz, the father of Ilyasah, his 4-year-old daughter, is about to return to John Jay College to study international criminal justice and government. He will be in New York this weekend to also visit political prisoner Sekou Odinga, who is currently being held at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility.
Accompanying Shabazz will be journalist J.R. Valrey. The Bay Area–based scribe, creative force and producer of “Operation Small Ax,” an Oscar Grant documentary, is coming to the city to promote his fascinating tome, “Block Reportin’.” The 21st century griot has assembled a series of his interviews with a host of notable Black figures, ranging from Malcolm Shabazz to former U.S. Congresswoman and former presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, Mumia Abu Jamal, Ericka Huggins and Freeway Ricky Ross.
Citing what happened with Denmark Vesey, Shabazz said that when the leader of a would-be revolt among enslaved Africans was killed by white enslavers, “nobody could mourn. Nobody could wear black, nobody could cry, nobody could know where he was buried, because they didn’t want that place to become a place of homage. So it is important that we visit the gravesites of people my grandfather,” he said regarding the May 19 annual pilgrimage to the cemetery, which is located half an hour outside of New York City.
“It’s important that we visit the gravesites and honor and keep [our leaders’] legacies alive. It honors their spirits, their sacrifices and their contributions. It helps us to honor their memory, but always we keep God first.”
Starting at noon on Thursday, May 19, the December 12th Movement will hold the 24th annual “Black Power: Shut ’Em Down March and Rally.” The rally will assemble at 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard in Harlem. In respect for Malcolm, all businesses along the 125th Street business corridor will close from 1-4 p.m.
“Malcolm X fought for the freedom of African people worldwide,” said Viola Plummer, co-founder of the December 13th Movement. “He taught us to take our struggle to the international arena and strengthen Pan-African unity.”
Announcing an evening presentation, Plummer declared, “The current imperialist attack on Africans at home and abroad must be beaten back politically and economically. Hands off, Libya and Zimbabwe! Join us for an evening program May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oberia Demsey Center at 127 W. 127 St., Harlem, N.Y.”
Meanwhile, the National Black United Front will be hosting a program in Brooklyn from 6-9 p.m. Dr. Betty Shabazz Elementary P.S./I.S. 298 (85 Watkins St., between Glenmore and Pitkin avenues) will be the venue for activists such as Michael Hooper, Jitu Weusi, Felipe Luciano, Daniel Goodine and Maxine Flowers. For more information, call (347) 825-4900.
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Malcolm X grandson decries Marable biography on 86th birthday observation
By NAYABA ARINDE
Amsterdam News Editor
Published: Thursday, May 19, 2011 12:05 AM EDT
Throwing a book at the book, “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention,” Malcolm Shabazz, grandson of Malcolm X, is unimpressed with Manning Marable’s hefty tome written about his world famous relative.
Marable’s book stirred up a virtual hornet’s nest when he noted that although there was no evidence, there was a rumor Malcolm X was involved in homosexual acts during the years he hustled on the streets before gaining knowledge of self. Marable went further and mentioned talk of infidelity by both Malcolm and his wife, Betty.
“The rapper M1 stated that we are all human beings, and as human beings, we do have flaws and contradictions, but we can’t apply homosexuality to my grandfather,” Shabazz told the AmNews. “Homosexuality is against human nature. This is an assassination of his character. Slander. There is no evidence, no facts. They put these claims out there to sell books and to discredit him.”
On Thursday, May 19, the world observes what would have been the 86th birthday of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, Malcolm X. The annual motorcade of cars and buses leave at 9 p.m. from in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building and travel to the Fern Cliff Cemetery to the gravesite shared by Malcolm X and Betty.
In town this weekend for “Malcolm X Week,” Malcolm Shabazz will be speaking at City College on Saturday, May 21 at the Guillermo Morales-Assata Shakur Center in the NAC Building, located at 137th Street and Convent Avenue, at 4 p.m.
“I haven’t read the entire book; I have read excerpts,” Shabazz said of Marable’s controversial biography, which was released last month, mere days before Marable’s passing.
“This book is about making money,” Shabazz charged, “but I had known the man personally since I was about 16 years old. The three main things that stick out in the book to me is how he emphasized the homosexual acts that [he implied] my grandfather was engaged in with a rich white man during his hustling days; how my grandparents had a loveless relationship and were unfaithful to each other; and how my grandfather may have embellished his criminal lifestyle.
“They can’t apply homosexuality to my grandfather at all. To try and do so does not humanize him, it dehumanizes him.. You know, J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI and the CIA were monitoring my grandfather to put out dirt about him. If they couldn’t find anything, what makes anyone think Manning Marable has? Manning Marable is a better researcher and investigator than the FBI and the CIA? The FBI and the CIA put out tapes on Dr. Martin Luther King’s indiscretions and other leaders. They couldn’t find anything on my grandfather, so we don’t try to create something that wasn’t there.”
Shabazz’s point No. 2: “My grandparents had a very unique relationship. It was a model for us as a people. “They had six children together, so they were obviously intimate and they were mating. I have one daughter, and she is a blessing. Unfortunately, her mother and I don’t have the best relationship. I wish I would have more children with one woman, but to have six children to one woman—that shows the love right there.”
The young man further said, “As for my grandmother, after my grandfather passed, she didn’t get remarried a year or two years later or somewhere down the line. You could raise the question, but how could he even know that? My grandmother never got remarried. No one could ever fill that void, fill those shoes. No one out there can ever claim that they had a relationship with my grandmother other than my grandfather. No one can make the claim.”
And for his third point, Shabazz determined, “To say that he embellished his criminal lifestyle…if anything, he downplayed his criminal lifestyle. If anybody is writing about themselves, they are not going to tell all the dirt they did.
“My grandfather spoke out against the social ills that led to situations that produced criminal lifestyles. One thing is though, people from all walks of life, from pimps to a drug addict, drug dealer, convicts, they all can all look at him and think, ‘He’s been in my shoes and look where he is now.’ What did he represent to our people? He is an inspiration. He’s a perfect example of the epitome of change.”
While the 27-year-old father of one said he has not spoken to anyone from Marable’s group, “This is the first time I’m speaking about it. There are way more important things to talk about than the Manning Marable book, which is about making money at the end of the day.”
He questioned why the author “hasn’t relied on any information from the Shabazz family, the Little family, personal family friends, supporters or associates—people who are alive today like Earl Grant, [who is] living in California. He was a member of the OAAU. He was right by my grandfather’s second in command. Or A. Peter Bailey, who was also in the OAAU with my grandfather. Where did this information come from? A third or fourth party?”
Citing the Bible and how it has been revised so many times, Shabazz said sometimes with powerful books, “The truth is there to attract you. And there are falsehoods there to entrap you—and that’s not scholarly.”
“I’ve spoken to Manning Marable several times since I was 16,” Shabazz noted, adding that he never thought Marable would write such a book about his grandfather. In a world where there is a sometimes a state of “education versus certification,” Shabazz said “it’s unfortunate” that there are certain “intellectual leaders” who are able to position themselves to be authorities on issues that they have little or no personal knowledge. “Sometimes we have these people who are raised with a silver spoon in their mouths their whole life, but take the position of being a spokesperson for the people or talk about shared experiences that they just haven’t been through,” said Shabazz.
He quoted the eulogy that actor Ossie Davis delivered at his grandfather’s funeral, in which he called Malcolm X “our Black shining prince, our Black shining manhood.” “They took that and put homosexual on top of that,” said Shabazz. “They want to promote homosexuality at the end of the day. When I was at school, people were not openly gay; today, people are saying they are gay in the first grade. It’s really acceptable today. They want to promote that today to our people with one of our greatest leaders. But there is no proof, there’s no basis, no facts.”
Asked if this is the consensus with the Shabazz family, he replied, “My aunts and my mother are probably more emotional about it than I am. I just want to protect them. That’s their father. They watched him get murdered. They remember that. Everything their father represents is real personal.”
As he finishes his own book, a coming-of-age memoir packed with social political commentary, the man who was 12-years-old when he was charged with setting the fire that killed his grandmother in 1996, said his book will touch on many issues, including previously undisclosed facts.
Shabazz, the father of Ilyasah, his 4-year-old daughter, is about to return to John Jay College to study international criminal justice and government. He will be in New York this weekend to also visit political prisoner Sekou Odinga, who is currently being held at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility.
Accompanying Shabazz will be journalist J.R. Valrey. The Bay Area–based scribe, creative force and producer of “Operation Small Ax,” an Oscar Grant documentary, is coming to the city to promote his fascinating tome, “Block Reportin’.” The 21st century griot has assembled a series of his interviews with a host of notable Black figures, ranging from Malcolm Shabazz to former U.S. Congresswoman and former presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, Mumia Abu Jamal, Ericka Huggins and Freeway Ricky Ross.
Citing what happened with Denmark Vesey, Shabazz said that when the leader of a would-be revolt among enslaved Africans was killed by white enslavers, “nobody could mourn. Nobody could wear black, nobody could cry, nobody could know where he was buried, because they didn’t want that place to become a place of homage. So it is important that we visit the gravesites of people my grandfather,” he said regarding the May 19 annual pilgrimage to the cemetery, which is located half an hour outside of New York City.
“It’s important that we visit the gravesites and honor and keep [our leaders’] legacies alive. It honors their spirits, their sacrifices and their contributions. It helps us to honor their memory, but always we keep God first.”
Starting at noon on Thursday, May 19, the December 12th Movement will hold the 24th annual “Black Power: Shut ’Em Down March and Rally.” The rally will assemble at 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard in Harlem. In respect for Malcolm, all businesses along the 125th Street business corridor will close from 1-4 p.m.
“Malcolm X fought for the freedom of African people worldwide,” said Viola Plummer, co-founder of the December 13th Movement. “He taught us to take our struggle to the international arena and strengthen Pan-African unity.”
Announcing an evening presentation, Plummer declared, “The current imperialist attack on Africans at home and abroad must be beaten back politically and economically. Hands off, Libya and Zimbabwe! Join us for an evening program May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oberia Demsey Center at 127 W. 127 St., Harlem, N.Y.”
Meanwhile, the National Black United Front will be hosting a program in Brooklyn from 6-9 p.m. Dr. Betty Shabazz Elementary P.S./I.S. 298 (85 Watkins St., between Glenmore and Pitkin avenues) will be the venue for activists such as Michael Hooper, Jitu Weusi, Felipe Luciano, Daniel Goodine and Maxine Flowers. For more information, call (347) 825-4900.
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