So, today we are going to be of course, revealing and discussing section that really talks about malcolms views, malcolm x is views on africa and even the middle east. Of course, we read a few of the letters that he sent home when he was traveling in 1959, as well as in 1964 in africa, as well as in the middle east. We will also talk about some speeches that he made, won in 1959, and another in 1965 before he was killed, that really sort of talked about his views on africa. And a critical interview that he gave when he attended the organizational, organization of African Unity conference in late july of 1964, in which he sort of discussed his strategy and the reason why he came to that conference and was appealing to these african heads of state. Hopefully everyone has read and listened to these speeches. So we can really get a sense of malcolm x viewpoints on africa. I think in order for us to really understand why malcolm expressed some of the things he did in these letters, in many ways we see that he sort of is arguing against particular ideas within the black community that were widespread in africa. It is critical for us to have a very good Vantage Point of how African Americans, and more specifically, black americans were thinking about africa in the late 19 fifties, early 1960s. Before we talk about that, eye, in many ways, when i think about my own life and even my existence itself, it is deeply tied to africa. Some of you are opening your eyes, what are you talking about . So, my father and mother they actually attended this concert together. They had met before the concert a few times but they sort of reconnected after this concert that happened in december of 1973. You are smiling, i can tell how my parents looked up . Actually, my father approached my mother, they talked after the conference. My father got the digits. And he called my mother a few days later. To really ask her out. And my mother stated that she had been called. She was leaving to go to liberia in a few months. And basically told him, we can talk, but if we get close to before i leave, it was still a few months away, i will still go to africa. They both were sort of part of this black power movement. I think ive spoken about this earlier in class. More specifically, the black theology movement. More specifically this notion that god was black and christianity itself should be a sort of tool of liberation. And really every sector of the black power movement, were connecting to africa. In the case of those who were inspired by black theology, many were returning to africa as missionaries. But a different type of missionary. And many sort of europeans of previous generations. She told him, im going to africa. She ended up going. They got close before she left. So they managed to stay in touch. During the nine months that she was in my various. She actually taught at this school in this rural sort of village outside of nairobi, which is the capital of library, she was there for nine months. I grew up, as you would imagine, hearing about these stories. She loved to talk about liberia. I simultaneously grew up as a result of her hearing a very fond, and positive things about africa. I didnt realize until later in my life, that in many ways i was lucky. Many sons and daughters had not been borne to people who traveled to africa, or who had fund, had a fund perspective of africa. Even in the 19 eighties, and nineties and certainly that was the case in the late 19 fifties, when, and the early 19 sixties when malcolm was speaking out and speaking for africa. And just to sort of give us a sense of just how much African Americans knew so little about africa. When they did know, their thoughts were negative. Any one of you ever heard of w. E. B. Dubois . So, w. E. B. Dubois, three years after publishing his landmark book, the souls of black folk, which he published in 1903, he helped invite this Columbia University anthropologist by the name of france, who came to Atlanta University where he was teaching. The boys was teaching at Atlanta University at the time he, gave the commencement address. At this commencement address, friends we counted the history of the glorious history of african kingdoms below the sahara desert, for upwards of 1000 years before the slave trade. So he talked about these classical precolonial african places like gonna, mali, and dubois literal in one of his books, quote i was too astonished to speak. He talked about boas suddenly awaking running him from the paralysis of the commonly held judgment talked to me in high school in two of the worlds great universities that africa had no history. But those two great universities were harvard university, where he earned his bachelors and ph. D. , and the university of berlin, which in the early 1900s with the was the Preeminent University in the western world. So he, he quite possibly doing the greatest and most educated African American in the country had no clue about africas history. And so for him, he viewed africa like African Americans generally viewed africa as this sort of place of barbarism, where civilization was never really known. He also wrote in his reflection, that i came then, to realize how the silence and neglect of science can let truth, utterly disappear. Essentially, that truth, about africa. So, he then took it upon himself, and then from that point forward he started to write more and, more and speak more, and more about africa, but unfortunately, by 1912, dubois was battling a novel that was First Published in this periodical. Written by edgar rice boroughs. Does anyone know what novel im talking about . It became an instant sensation. This novel, more than any other cultural product of the 20th century, locked the concept of the animal african into the american mind. The main character in this novel, was tires on. So the plot was this orphan in front of white parents, this abandon central africa, and is raised by this ape, and this tribe of apes, and he is named tarzan meaning white skin in the ape language, he grows up and he becomes the most skilled hunter and warrior. He finds his parents kevin and teaches himself to read while his body is being just build away from the sort of savage up bringing. He quote his street and perfect figure, im not reading the book, muscles as the best of the ancient gladiators, with the soft scene curves, this is how is being narrated in the text. Essentially, this plot is somewhat similar to a recent film, the name of it is escaping me. With the blue people. Avatar, it is basically the same plot. He becomes the greatest of the warriors, right . He becomes the greatest of this sort of ape tribe. He is relating to the apes, but then he also comes across and has to relate to, who else . Africans. So it is basically tarzan, apes, africans. Of course, tarzan becomes the superior warrior. And becomes the most superior sort of being in that sort of area. And of course, tarzan, inspired this novel, inspired comic strips, merchandise, 27 sequels, and 45 motion pictures. The first occurring in 1918. I dont know if there is a more famous fictional character in the 20th century then tarzan, theres quite possibly no more racist plot than the plot that burrows wrote up, and continued to writeup up until his death in 1950. And to give you a sense of how salient and pervasive carson was, because for many americans, tarzan was africa. They were witnessing, viewing africa. Understanding in learning africa through tarzan, to the point in which, in 1966, at howard university, students theyre elected the first black woman homecoming queen with natural hair. It was like the start of black power, there at howard and as well as around the country. There was a stood march around campus. What students chanted, was in gala black power, in our black power. What was that . It was the way in which tarzan related and communicated to animals in black people in that movie. So when what people thought of, words that african use, or people thought of how to communicate with africans, they thought of tarzan. This is what sort of, this was the world, the nation the, community of ideas that really raised malcolm. And that malcolm was facing in the late 19 fifties. It he started challenging many of these ideas. We should know, that in many ways, malcolm was lucky, because his parents were raised in what movement . Who are they following . Marcus garvey, right . So marcus garvey, in the 19 the teens, and the 1920s, talked fondly of about africa, and African People worldwide, and africa for the africans. But for many americans, for many African Americans, they werent raised to think of africa as this equal place with the rest of the world. They were raised to think of the dark continent, where enlightenment had never existed. A constant continent where there was it was impoverished, because of the poverty, the behavior, and cultural poverty. The african was synonymous with savage. The savage was synonymous was synonymous with the animal, and the animal was synonymous with african. As a result, many as i stated, African Americans did not want to be associated with those savages, those animals, and more so wanted to be associated with civilization. With america. And so, for malcolm, as we sort of read about in our text, he was quite happy in 1959, when he received the assignment from Elijah Mohammed to travel to the middle east and you. Africa on behalf of all i job harm it by the president of egypt and he decided to pave the way for you elijah. Even though he grew up having being taught about the beauties and the glories of african its history, this was his first trip to africa and even in being someone who identified as muslim he was of course excited to visit a muslim nation and he also had the plan later on where a plan is trip as well. Here lies on july 4th in egypt but immediately of course falls ill. Hes not able to travel to mecca but hes able to spend more time in egypt as well as trout to saudi arabia. This is one of the most critical periods and malcolms life. He wouldnt necessarily see the effects of it in this public rhetoric but according to many biographers, this was a critical period as he lived and observed and these nations. Because he began to see how much nation of islamic theology and traditions and practices were so inaudible but of course he can necessarily publicly speak out against those traditions and those policies but he certainly saw that distinction of when he was in saudi arabia as well as in egypt. The one thing that shocked him about saudi arabia and of course he wrote back about this which was all of the variety of city colors that existed in saudi arabia and it was almost like black america. You have the lightest of people as well as the darkest of people in this home and talked about all of saudi arabia being at home. What he was seeking to do was make this connection between people in the middle east with African Americans and just as they are trying to have a similar collection to African People with African Americans and specifically with making the case that African People were concerned and were looking into or studying what was happening to African Americans in the United States. He argued of course from the sudan when he made it theyre an 1859 that he wanted African Americans to realize that africans care about them. He talked about how he was fighting against this u. S. Propaganda and forcing dont worry about those africans because this is what he was saying and was seeing the same thing in africa. Those African Americans dont care about he also made very plain what people in africa thought with the condition of African Americans. He writes that they find it difficult to understand why in the land of a quality, 20 million black americans who are talking about equality. Why theyre causing itself but the leader of 20 million black americans are not free and or the land whether in all forms of racial opportunities and negros need our army escorts to go to these institutions. This letter states in africa other seeing the african of the african upon america. This would become a key throw is speeches over the next five years. Making his case that to African Americans care about you. As i stated, he was trying to build the sense of afro asian solidarity and build known as panafricanism. It was the panafricanism that African People worldwide were collected to share identity and this collective shared political interest and collective share of cultural similarities. So essentially, African People worldwide needed to care about each other. They needed to struggle for each other and come together for each other. But at the same time, the unity came much easier and 1959 then asian solidarity. From the standpoint of the nation of islamic, he was arguing that the solution to the negro problem was a separate black statement. He essentially wanted a complete separation of black people from everybody. But not from all black people. Malcolm of course had to struggle and that certainly caused the emphasize of the unity with the afro asian in those letters. He also of course was part of the speech that he gave in 1959 for african alliteration. Islamic was not the only groups or organization in the United States that was advocating for these ideas and there are many groups that were doing so, specifically in new york city and malcolm was part of these groups so he was invited and as far as Elijah Muhammad to come and speak at this african liberation day and yet again, at his speech as in his letters home from africa it continuously tried to emphasize the unity of africa. One of the ways he did this it is touted very similar in 1964 and 59 when he will talk about the enemy, the european enemy of every single african state. Youre european enemies french, here european enemy of this country, of that country is the british, is the portuguese and as the dutch and what do they all have in common . Theyre all from europe. What do we all have from coming . Ralph from africa. You can make this case that theyre working together to impress us and speaking to black people. So why are we not working together . Theyre in that speech about how can so few white people rule so many but people . Europe which of course is much smaller then africa. Its three times the size of the United States but how can such a small group of people have such a massive cotton or such a Massive Group of people. According to him, the disunity of course wanted to emphasize and courage people of african descent around the world to come together and arguing again and again that we have a common enemy. That is those colonial masters in europe. I should also add and i think weve talked about previously in previous classes. That this was a critical period in the history of africa and what was going on in africa . In 1959 . 1960. The call is asian. Of course, he was de colonization bullies expiring African Americans and it was inspiring people people of african descent and looking for people to get more inspired and to be more connected they want people to have a globals gravel struggle against white supremacy. He felt it was critical to emphasize that unity to affect that global throw. Of course, malcolms most critical trip throughout his life is when he went back to africa in 1963. And was after he left a nation of islam. And in the nation it is lumb and in 1964 would go on to extended trips to africa. The first of course left on april 13th, 1964 and on this trip he traveled throughout the middle east and africa he. Travel to egypt, lebanon, nigeria, gone a, morocco and algeria. But of course, what was the most critical aspect of this trip . What city was most important to malcolm development . Africa without question. Of course, as weve talked about in previous classes, being raised in a nation of islamic he was, raised to think that white people were fundamentally evil. In many ways, his own experiences and his own Life Experiences with white people reinforce that. When he was told that while he was in prison and his brothers and sisters would converge to the nation and actually click for him because it made sense in terms of the way that his parents had been treated hes. The son of a father who most likely was lynched. Some of his uncles were lynched in georgia and he of course they experienced and watched his own family who had not supported those authorities. Instead of being supportive by other people because they have so many children to take care of and their husband was seeing her thrown into the us saying asylum. And then of course, the way he was treated and high school and he spoke about a lawyer and his teacher said past night the top people. You should talk about being a carpenter or being a mascot and even when he started robbing houses. Its part of his robbery crew with women. Of course, when he was arrested these two white women felt he got a much harder sentence and relation with these women in the hands of white people and it wasnt until he went to tribeca. And for the first time he had not just positive experiences but he was in a space where there were people of all different colors, here textures and tremendous amounts of diversity and when he visited, racial diversity and simultaneously saw all these people were doing the same thing. They all engaged in according to him treating each other as if they were brothers and in his first letter home he has to tell people back home they may be shocked i may say this. But he says there were tens of thousands of pilgrims through all over the world and all colors from blue eyed blondes to all participating in the same ritual displaying the spirit and brotherhood that i experienced in america which had led me to be believed would never exist between white and nonwhite. Whats interesting about this first letter and really his first trip was. What did he assigned as the cause of essentially witnessing this anti racist sort of space and behavior among the white people and nonwhite people . What did he consider to be the fundamental cause of what he was experiencing . Yes . There are what . Yes, they were all muslim, so what did you think was really causing it . Yes, islam. And so, he didnt just sort of right about the unity, and the brotherhood as he called it, and these experiences. He also stated you, know what . What could be the cure for racism in america . He made the case that is lumb could be the cure for racism in america. Now, of course, many black people in multi racial muslim nations probably had issues with that type of statement. He of course offered that as a solution. To the racial problem in america. And, as you would imagine, if you go on the hunt, you go on a hushed, you have an incredible religious experience, which is suppose what it is which is what is supposed to be for muslims, he was i think in many ways, trying to abuse his religious experience with a political experience, he had just experience. I think that is the way in which he was able to sort of to do so. Yet again, when he of course ventures to some of the african nations, he again pushes back against because this propaganda, that people are interested in the plight of africans. He writes back home how his African Brothers and sisters love us. They are happy to learn that we are also awakening from our long sleep and developing strong love for them. I dont know if you know about this, these readings, this week you know, we like to talk about people being woke, today . Well, what malcolm was talking about that six years ago, 55 years ago, the concept of being awake, right . That was in almost everything he wrote, for that we read, right . This concept of African People, of African Americans in particular, waking up to reality. I dont want you to think, you originated woke, rights . So, another interesting aspect of these letters he wrote home on his first visit in 1964 was, what was ironic to him about interracial. Do you remember reading . That he talked about him coming across white people in africa. He talked about them trying to integrate into africas wealth and beauty. At the same time, they are what . Denying or spitting on African Americans who are trying to integrate with them. He really beat home this contradiction and really, i think, in many have his speeches on africa, he would typically come back to this point. Specifically the first side of the point. Essentially, he was an evangelist for africa. And so, in his speeches, he would try to speak about the beauties of africa, he would say things like, why do you think your opinions are there . Why do you think they keep coming their . They keep coming there because it is so beautiful. And you are the one, it would be a very, sort of, seductive and engrossing concept when he would talk about how white people are trying to integrate into africa, especially when he is speaking to black people who think that white people are going to go to places that they consider to be beautiful and what is best. It meets them precisely where they are. And takes them where he wants them to go, which is to have a better view point about africa. That africa is wealthy, beautiful, and that is why why people are there. That is why they are fighting, and dying to keep their african colonies. They want to stay in africa. He kept hitting home, again these contradictions, which i thought were, of course, critical to his philosophy, he thought that was the root of it all. He thought that was the rug any swept under that rug and black people in america could start to have a more positive conception of self. Of course, theres a tremendous amount of truth to this idea. Throughout American History they learned about what they thought when and in 1817. There was a group called american Colonization Society. This group was presided over by some of the most powerful people in the United States and Ron Washington and George Washington was a series of other political figures and what this group was seeking to do with the Colonization Society was to take free blacks and return them to africa. That was essentially their mission and the american Colonization Society which was in the founding of liberia was my mother would go 50 years later. Of course, in the early twenties a, few hundred African Americans were so upset to liberia. The american Colonization Society hope was that they could get rid of the negro because the negro was the free black person. The black person that was free was the coalition between those slaveowners who say that they posed a threat to enslaved africans and reformers who felt that if they slowly gradually and it slavery they could gradually get rid of free blacks from slavery. Black people got word of this and particularly the powerful black community in philadelphia. They got together at this fame church in 1817 to decide whether African Americans would support the american Colonization Society efforts to send basically free blacks back to africa. They resolved against these american Colonization Society. They felt that they were deeply tied to the struggle, the abolitionist radical and just couldnt leave be free enslaved black people buy themselves. They survived them as what they also said and the resolution is that we want to not go back to the savage ways of before. Even within this progressive term of community of black people which is holding the american Colonization Society in 1817, they were also reinforcing ideas about the dark backward africa and will continue to 1903 and foresee that move away from that but many African Americans certainly did not and genuinely speaking he then went i ventured to africa. My first visit with indonesia i dont want to tell you what year because all day myself. On never forget people asking the silliest questions. I one person asked me, so, did you worry able to go shopping . They have malls in africa . Some of the most basic questions to people who are close . All different types of questions about africa and this was in the 21st century. So imagine what people were thinking back then and certainly so, malcolm x of course my its a excuse me, malcolm x but it is critical theres absolutely critical to reformulate African American ideas because he felt it was reformulated in the African American ideas of themselves. Of course, in that speech he speaks of all the different ways in which black people hate themselves and all the different ways in which black people hate africa and made that connection. He stated and i quote. In hating africa, we end up getting ourselves and not really realizing it. Because you cant hate the roots of the true and not hate the tree. You cant hear origins and not hate yourself. He said, he would make this case that white people knew that and according to him thats why they were feeding this propaganda. About africa because to him. It would cause but people to hate their african heritage. To certainly hate calling them the south africans. To hate their skin color we. Would also make this case that is a radical idea then and a radical idea today that he would make this case that African Americans or the socalled negro was more african than american. He wanted he then wanted people to connect themselves to africa through how they identify themselves as african. Of course, that further advocates because if you have people of african descent around the world all identify