Honoring Black Ancestors : HONORING MINISTER MALCOLM...

Isaiah

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Jun 8, 2004
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To paraphrase another late-lamented ancestor, the great Ossie Davis, in honoring this man, Minister Malcolm X, we honor the best in ourselves... The gravity of his meaning to us as a people is bilbical, koranic, a holy parable akin to any ever told in these and other spiritual texts... He is our Black Phoenix, as well as, Our Black Shining Prince, because from the ashes of his personal ruin he arose like a Black Swan aflight, to fight the same oppressive system that continues aflict our people to this day...

When I was 13, two events occured to change my lfe... One was a gang beatdown, and the other was one of my elder brothers gave me Malcolm X's biography to read before he went off to the Marine Corps... I later joined the very organization this man talked of as delivering the message that turned the light bulb on his head, and though he talked rather negatively about the organization at later stages of the book, even then I understood what was behind it... His sense of loss over something and someone that had meant so much to him...

Well, over the years, I have come to understand what HIS loss meant us as a people... His message is not lost in the slick, well-dressed imagery and street smart, hip eloquence of the man... It is in his well-rounded understanding of international, as well as, national Black/African affairs... His voluminous and perceptive knowledge and clarity about the who, what, when, where, and why we were/are in the condition we are in, and how to get our act together, still astounds and confounds me how, in 1960-something, a brother could be so doggoned deep and clear in his knowledge! Just imagine if there were such a thing as personal computers and the internet around when this man walked Harlem 40-something years ago?! And he was a man who never finished HIGHSCHOOL!

That is only touching the surface of how much is to be gained by us reading and re-reading his autobiography... Again, the main is a wonderful African Diasporic parable, only he is real, and we have pictures of him, as well as the pictures, and numerous other books about his life... Who needs Jesus, and all these mysterious people, like LAZURUS and JOB, when we have our own Black Shining Prince from whence to draw our sustenence??? Think about THAT... Happy Birthday, Brother Minister... Rest in Eternal Peace...



Peace!
Isaiah
 
OSSIE DAVIS' MAGNIFICENT EULOGY FOR MALCOLM X...


Eulogy delivered by Ossie Davis at the funeral of Malcolm X
Faith Temple Church Of God
February 27,1965

"Here - at this final hour, in this quiet place - Harlem has come to bid farewell to one of its brightest hopes -extinguished now, and gone from us forever. For Harlem is where he worked and where he struggled and fought - his home of homes, where his heart was, and where his people are - and it is, therefore, most fitting that we meet once again - in Harlem - to share these last moments with him. For Harlem has ever been gracious to those who have loved her, have fought her, and have defended her honor even to the death.

It is not in the memory of man that this beleaguered, unfortunate, but nonetheless proud community has found a braver, more gallant young champion than this Afro-American who lies before us - unconquered still. I say the word again, as he would want me to : Afro-American - Afro-American Malcolm, who was a master, was most meticulous in his use of words. Nobody knew better than he the power words have over minds of men. Malcolm had stopped being a 'Negro' years ago. It had become too small, too puny, too weak a word for him. Malcolm was bigger than that. Malcolm had become an Afro-American and he wanted - so desperately - that we, that all his people, would become Afro-Americans too.

There are those who will consider it their duty, as friends of the Negro people, to tell us to revile him, to flee, even from the presence of his memory, to save ourselves by writing him out of the history of our turbulent times. Many will ask what Harlem finds to honor in this stormy, controversial and bold young captain - and we will smile. Many will say turn away - away from this man, for he is not a man but a demon, a monster, a subverter and an enemy of the black man - and we will smile. They will say that he is of hate - a fanatic, a racist - who can only bring evil to the cause for which you struggle! And we will answer and say to them : Did you ever talk to Brother Malcolm? Did you ever touch him, or have him smile at you? Did you ever really listen to him? Did he ever do a mean thing? Was he ever himself associated with violence or any public disturbance? For if you did you would know him. And if you knew him you would know why we must honor him.

Malcolm was our manhood, our living, black manhood! This was his meaning to his people. And, in honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves. Last year, from Africa, he wrote these words to a friend: 'My journey', he says, 'is almost ended, and I have a much broader scope than when I started out, which I believe will add new life and dimension to our struggle for freedom and honor and dignity in the States. I am writing these things so that you will know for a fact the tremendous sympathy and support we have among the African States for our Human Rights struggle. The main thing is that we keep a United Front wherein our most valuable time and energy will not be wasted fighting each other.' However we may have differed with him - or with each other about him and his value as a man - let his going from us serve only to bring us together, now.

Consigning these mortal remains to earth, the common mother of all, secure in the knowledge that what we place in the ground is no more now a man - but a seed - which, after the winter of our discontent, will come forth again to meet us. And we will know him then for what he was and is - a Prince - our own black shining Prince! - who didn't hesitate to die, because he loved us so."
 
spicybrown said:
Thanx for providing the link, Brother Isaiah & and Sister Fine1952;)

You are welcome, sister Spicy! I am hoping that we will take time to honor our brother with a testimony on how he has influenced our lives... How has he influenced your life, or those around you??? And what, exactly, do you feel his impact has been around the world?


Peace!
Isaiah
 

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