The Martlet

In Canada and the United States, February is Black History Month. It remembers the Civil Rights Movement that started 50 years ago in the U.S by two charismatic black leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was considered a huge victory for coloured people.

Sadly, both leaders were assassinated soon after, Malcolm X on Feb. 21, 1965, King on March 29, 1968. But their glorious achievements live on and are still celebrated today.

Unfortunately, these days most people only celebrate Dr. King and his role in the black liberation movement. In the past few days, I have heard many people talk about King’s character and charisma, but little about Malcolm X.

Why is that?

Perhaps it is because many people perceive Malcolm X as a man of violence who was not for peace and democratic practices. But the truth is, if it was not for Malcolm X’s violent movement in the 1960s, King’s movement of solidarity would not have been successful.

In that era, the violence was a necessary response to a society in which white supremacists purposely discriminated against black people and remorselessly murdered them with no regard for justice.

The use of violence is not necessary in most places. But, in 1960s, violence was necessary for the black rights movement.

Undoubtedly, Malcolm X’s ultimate goal was to establish and maintain peace in society, but in a society respectful to all.

In order to have this respectful peace, violence was necessary to open the eyes of the ordinary white people who excluded people of colour from their society.

Most whites were not associated with the Klu Klux Klan organization. However, many did decide to be racist, influenced by the existing propaganda that referred to blacks as drug lords, criminals and uneducated people.

Malcolm X simply proved that it was white society that had imposed the many systematic restraints against the black community.

Violence was necessary to break those restraints, and snap the chain of slavery and servitude of white supremacy.

Criticizing Malcolm X for his violence and forgetting him as a passionate leader who sacrificed his life for justice and peace would not be fair and would not do justice to the struggle of his time.

This Black History Month, let’s remember and honour all martyrs of the liberation movement.