Quotes

Others

[Witnessing Malcolm's control over a mob] That's too much power for one man to have.

Others

[delivering Malcolm's eulogy] 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. 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. Malcolm had stopped being 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.<p>There are those who still 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. And we will smile. They

Dialogue

Malcolm X: [about the disciples of Christ] What color were they? Chaplain Gill: Well, I don't think we know that for certain. Malcolm X: But they were Hebrews, were they not? Chaplain Gill: That's right. Malcolm X: As was Jesus. Jesus was also a Hebrew. Chaplain Gill: Why don't you just ask your question. Malcolm X: What color were the original Hebrews? Chaplain Gill: I have told you that we don't know that for certain. Malcolm X: Then you can't believe for certain that Jesus was white. Chaplain Gill: Just... Just a moment. Just a moment. God is white. [pointing to a painting of a white Jesus hanging on the wall] Isn't it obvious? Malcolm X: Well, that [nodding to the painting] is obvious, but we don't know if it's obvious that God is white. The honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that Jesus did not have blond hair and blue eyes. The honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that the images of Jesus that are on prison walls and churches throughout the world are not historically correct bec

Dialogue

Coed: Excuse me, Mr. X. I've read some of your speeches and I honestly believe a lot of what you say has truth to it. I have a good heart. I'm a good person despite my whiteness. What can the good white people like myself, who are not prejudiced, or racist, what can we do to help the cause? Malcolm X: [extremely coldly] Nothing.

Dialogue

Report #1: Malcolm, you said on your trip abroad you sensed a feeling of great brotherhood. Malcolm X: As I recall, I pointed out that while I was in Mecca making the pilgrimage, I spoke about the brotherhood that existed at all levels among all people, all colors who had accepted the religion of Islam. I pointed out that what it had done, Islam, for those people despite their complexion differences, that it would probably do America well to study the religion of Islam and perhaps it could drive some of the racism from this society. Muslims look upon themselves as human beings, as part of the human family and therefore look upon all other segments of the human family as part of that same family. Today my friends are black, brown, red, yellow and white. Reporter #8: Malcolm, are you prepared to go to the United Nations at this point and ask that charges be brought against the United States for its treatment of the American Negroes? Malcolm X: Oh yes. [the audience applauds] The audience