The Enduring Lessons of Malcolm X: Insights from His Daughter

Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of the iconic human rights leader Malcolm X, reflects on her father’s legacy in her recent article published in ESSENCE Magazine. Despite her significant differences in experiences from her father, Shabazz speaks about the profound lessons she learned from him that continue to shape her life.

The Man Behind the Public Image

Shabazz begins by painting a picture of her father Malcolm X that most people who only know him through history books and media reports do not see. The media often portrayed Malcolm X as a provocative, aggressive leader who incited the anger and grief of Black Americans facing discrimination and violence. However, Shabazz shares that the man she knew was warm, gentle, empathetic, and had a great sense of humor. He loved jazz music, literature, and nature. Shabazz notes that her father’s parents, members of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association, passed down their values to Malcolm, and he did the same with his daughters.

The Legacy of Human Rights

Malcolm X brought human rights into the Civil Rights Movement, and that is a legacy that Shabazz sees clearly in the contemporary language and ideology of activism. Shabazz believes that an education in history based on facts is crucial in developing self-love and allowing individuals to love others in turn. She emphasizes that committing harm against another is essentially the same as committing harm against oneself. In short, Malcolm X taught his daughters to believe in the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity, and the power of self-love.

The Heartfelt Thoughts of a Young Man

Shabazz shares her favorite speech that her father ever gave, which took place at the Oxford Union Debate in 1964, within a year of his assassination. In this speech, her father focused on building a better world. Shabazz loves this speech because it shows her father for who he really was: a man who deeply cared about his fellow human beings and encouraged others to love and be their best selves.

Editorial and Advice

Malcolm X’s legacy of human rights, activism, and self-love continue to inspire people even after his death. However, as Shabazz notes, her father is still waiting for the justice that he deserves, not just as the leader of a movement, but as a citizen and a human. The fight for justice and equality is an ongoing battle that requires individuals to not just learn from the past, but to take action and make a difference.

As we remember Malcolm X’s enduring lessons and insights today, we must also acknowledge and address the ongoing struggles for justice and equality in our own society. The power of self-love, the belief in the oneness of humanity, and the commitment to building a better world are critical components of this struggle.

Malcolm X-MalcolmX,daughter,enduringlessons,insights,tagnames.tag1:MalcolmXtag2:daughtertag3:enduringlessonstag4:insights