02/21/2023
Today we honor el-hajj Malik el Shabazz also known as Malcolm X. Malcolm X was a powerful orator and civil rights activist who was assassinated on February 21, 1965, Below are some words about Malcolm and his impact from our President and CEO, Dr. C. Roy Epps:
Prior to entering the U.S. Army, my brother Edward had introduced me to some writings and audio tapes of Malcolm X. Living in and visiting Harlem gave me the opportunity to hear Malcolm on a number of occasions prior to being assigned to first Army Medical Labs at 80 Church Street, downtown Manhattan. In the summer of 1963, I had an opportunity to visit Mosque 7 in Harlem, where I saw and heard Malcolm X, in person. He was mesmerizing and convincing about the status and conditions of the 'Negro". Although he had limited formal education, he was very well-read and highly articulate. After hearing him a few times concerning the plight of the "Negro" in America, I seriously considered the religion of Islam and the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. After the historic "March on Washington" in August and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November, the Nation of Islam no longer interested me. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad suspended Malcolm for his comments concerning Kennedy's death and I became disillusioned with the Nation. The next week, I entered the United States Army. When Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali, won the World Heavyweight Championship in February of 1964, proclaimed he was a Muslim, Mohammed Ali; Malcolm X left the Nation. In the following months, the atmosphere was very tense in Harlem. However, being a part of Harlem in 1964 was a revolutionary feeling. In April, Malcolm X left for the holy city of Mecca and the apprehension in the community subsided.
It was on Monday 22nd of February 1965 while riding the subway to work that I noticed the headlines of the newspaper..."Moslem Leader Slain." The train was less crowded than usual which I recognize as very strange.
Malcolm X was murdered the day before, Sunday evening, February 21 at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights, in Harlem. Considering the current conflict at those times between Malcolm and the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, such a violation of security was unheard of.
Very few men have had a real influence on my life from an operational standpoint. Al Hajj Malik al-Shabazz is one of them. He brought a real understanding of where black people existed in a reluctant society to recognize us as productive and resourceful people. At that time, he was one of the few men who raised the consciousness of many in the black community to understand their potential power in this society; therefore, he was dangerous to this society. This was particularly true as Malcolm X prepared to take the case of the plight of the African-Americans before the United Nations International Court for oppressive crimes committed by the United States government against People of Color. Monday, February 22, 1965, was the longest subway ride to 90 Church Street during my service in the army.
