Malcolm X: 1964 NY Harlem Youth Forum

Audio Link
Released:

1964
Random Facts:

This is 1 year removed from the American Muslim movement. Malcolm was set on putting America on trial in front of the UN for its crimes and collusion against Afro-American people. Smartly, he did not believe in America's ability to govern / discipline its self for it it's crimes against black people. Before his death Malcolm stressed America's crime were greater than national civil disputes and a were beyond doubt a violation of human rights.

Themes:

Image Making, Reference Point, Correlation between a Africans on the African continent and Afro-Americans in America, Civil struggle = Internal Struggle = Being limited to the Nation the racism occurs in, Proving that racism in America is a Human Rights Issue heightens the struggle to the world stage - making it an international issue and connecting the black diaspora through around the world through common struggle, An oppressed people and our relationship to “violence”.
Thoughts:

Some of the speech feels very in the moment - like there was a skeleton but he deviated at points going off of feeling. He was smart to leap over the American judicial systems and attempt to bring America's crimes to the UN, or world stage. We wish sooner for Malcolms departure from the Muslim movement which "liberated him" as he explained. Malcolm died an active Muslim, but also understood the American Muslim movement was tying his hands behind his back in a fight were all extremities are needed to win. By any means necessary Malcolm was able to align his morality with necessary tools needed for the freedom of a people.

Notable Lines:

"Train yourself is to never accept images that have been created for you by someone else"

"A press that has perfected image making to a science and then they use these images to make people love whom they will and hate whom they will."

"Always examine for yourself."

"The World press, as well as the American press, can make the victim of a crime look like the criminal and can make the criminal himself look like he’s the victim."

"I have to point this out because it’s an example of how when the planes come from America, and the bombs come from America and the pilots come from America. No matter whether or not they become involved in mass murder - the press again can maneuver your mind and manipulate your mind to make you think that - that mass murder is some kind of humanitarian project."

"The press can make you not have any sympathy whatsoever for the death of thousands of people who look just like yourself - but at the same time they make tears roll down your face over the few - over the loss of a few lives that don't look anything like yourself."

"You have to learn how to see for yourself, hear for yourself, and think for yourself and then judge for yourself."

"You want to fight racism and racist non violently and lovingly and I’ll fight em the way they fight me. Whatever weapon they use, that's what I'll use against them."