MALCOLM X COLLECTED SPEECHES, DEBATES AND INTERVIEWS (1960-1965) Edited by Sandeep S. Atwal MALCOLM X: COLLECTED SPEECHES, DEBATES AND INTERVIEWS (1960-1965) Edited by Sandeep S. Atwal TABLE OF CONTENTS Harlem Freedom Rally (1960) Queens College Speech (May 5, 1960) Bayard Rustin Debate (November, 1960) Eleanor Fischer interviews Malcolm X (1961) Harvard Law School Forum (March 24, 1961) Open Mind Roundtable (October 15, 1961) Malcolm X at Yale University (October 20, 1962) Twenty Million Black People in a Political, Economic, and Mental Prison (January 23, 1963) Alex Haley Interviews Malcolm X (May, 1963) The Black Revolution (June, 1963) The Old Negro and the New Negro (September, 1963) Malcolm X at UC Berkeley (October 11, 1963) A Message to the Grassroots (November 10, 1963) Columbia University (November 20, 1963) God’s Judgement of White America (December 4, 1963) A Visit From the FBI (February 4, 1964) A Declaration of Independence (March 12, 1964) Malcolm X at Harvard University (March 18, 1964) A. B. Spellman Interviews Malcolm X (March 19, 1964) The Ballot or the Bullet (April 3, 1964) The Black Revolution (April 8, 1964) The Ballot or the Bullet (April 12, 1964) Milton Henry Interviews Malcolm X (April 12, 1964) Letter From Mecca (April 20, 1964) Malcolm X at University of Ghana (May 13, 1964) Robert Penn Warren Interviews Malcolm X (June 2, 1964) OAAU Founding Rally (June 28, 1964) The Second OAAU Rally (July 5, 1964) Speech to The African Summit Conference (August 21, 1964) Speech to The Second African Summit Conference (August 21, 1964) Letter to the Egyptian Gazette (August 25, 1964) OAAU Homecoming Rally (November 29, 1964) Les Crane Interviews Malcolm X (December 2, 1964) Oxford Union Debate (December 3, 1964) Speech to Peace Corps Workers (December 12, 1964) At the Audubon Ballroom (Dec. 13, 1964) Harvard Law School Forum (December 16, 1964) At the Audubon Ballroom (December 20, 1964) Malcolm X Introduces Fannie Lou Hamer (December 20, 1964) Bernice Bass Interviews Malcolm X (December 27, 1964) Claude Lewis Interviews Malcolm X (December, 1964) Speech to Civil Rights Workers from Mississippi (Jan. 1, 1965) Prospects for Freedom in 1965 (January 7, 1965) Pierre Berton interviews Malcolm X (January 19, 1965) On Afro-American History (January 24, 1965) London School of Economics (February 11, 1965) After the Firebombing (Feb. 14, 1965) There’s A Worldwide Revolution Going On (Feb. 15, 1965) Not Just an American Problem, But a World Problem (Feb. 16, 1965) Stan Bernard Interviews Malcolm X (February 18, 1965) Interview with Al-Muslimoon Magazine (February 20, 1965) Organization of Afro-American Unity Program (February 21, 1965) Harlem Freedom Rally (1960) As-Salaam-Alaikum beloved brothers and sisters, welcome to our Harlem Freedom Rally. When we say “our” we do not mean Muslim nor Christian, Catholic nor Protestant, Baptist nor Methodist, Democrat nor Republican, Mason nor Elk. By “our” Harlem Freedom, we mean the black people of Harlem, the black people of America, and the black people all over this earth. The largest concentration of black people on earth is right here in Harlem, so we are gathered here today in Harlem Square to a Freedom Rally, of black people, by black people, and for the benefit of black people. We are not here at this Rally because we have already gained freedom. No! We are gathered here rallying for the freedom which we have long been promised, but have as yet not received. This Rally is for that perfect freedom which up until now this government has not granted us. There would be no need to protest to the government if we were already free Freedom is essential to life itself. Freedom is essential to the development of the human being. If we don’t have freedom we can never expect justice and equality. Only after we have freedom do justice and equality become a reality. Today we are gathered at this Rally to hear from our leaders who have been acting as our spokesmen, and representing us to the white man downtown. We want to know how our leaders really think, how they talk, how they feel...and most important of all, we want them to know how we feel. Many of these leaders have suddenly become “experts on Harlem” and as such are often regarded by the white man as the “voice of Harlem.” If this must be the case, then we want the voice of these leaders to ring sometimes in Harlem too. Leaders have differences, and these differences ofttimes cause serious division among the masses. But the hour is too short today for black people to afford the luxury of “differences.” Again I repeat, we are not gathered here today because we are Muslims or Christians, Protestants or Catholics, Baptists or Methodists, Democrats or Republicans, Masons or Elks...but because as a collective mass of black people we have been colonized, enslaved, lynched, exploited, deceived and abused. As a collective mass of black people we have been deprived, not only of civil rights, but even our human rights, the right to human dignity...the right to be a human being! This Freedom Rally is to be a united effort by all our leaders. We have set aside any petty differences, and in the Spirit of Bandung we have come together on this same platform, wherein each one can voice his personal feelings and his personal solution to this grave crisis we face. The Western World today faces a great catastrophe. It stands on the brink of disaster. Mr. Muhammad says the only way our people can avoid the fiery destruction that God Himself will soon unleash upon this wicked world is for our people to come together among themselves in unity and practice true brotherhood. Mr. Muhammad says God is with us to unite our people into one brotherhood, and to aid those that are oppressed, and to uplift those who are downtrodden. The Western World, filled with evil and wickedness, is groping and stumbling blindly through spiritual darkness toward its inevitable doom. Mr. Muhammad says we must qualify ourselves so that God’s spiritual light will guide us past the pitfalls of destruction. The Western World is filled with drunkenness, dope addiction, lying, stealing, gambling, adultery, fornication, prostitution and hosts of other evils. These evils must be removed if the world is to have peace. These evils are the primary cause of troubles all over the earth. These evils promote greed and lust, increase wickedness and unrest, and destroy all hopes for peace. You want peace. I want peace. Everyone craves for a world of peace. Mr. Muhammad says anyone who will submit to the God of Peace will have peace. Even the white man himself can prolong his time today if he will submit to the God of Peace, and give freedom, justice, and equality to the “people of God”...the so-called Negroes here in America. The city of Nineveh in the bible to whom Jonah was sent to warn is a good prophetic example of today. They were actually spared because they repented when the warning came to them from God. God will spare our slave master today too if he will repent. The whole dark world wants peace. When I was in Africa last year I was deeply impressed by the desire of our African Brothers for peace, but even they agree that there can be no peace without freedom from colonialism, foreign domination, oppression and exploitation. The God of Peace and Righteousness is about to set up His kingdom of peace and righteousness here on this earth. Knowing that God is about to establish His righteous government, Mr. Muhammad is trying to clean up our morals and qualify us to enter into this new righteous nation of God. The American so-called Negroes must recognize each other as brothers and sisters...stop carrying  guns and knives to harm each other, stop drinking whiskey, taking dope, reefers, and even cigarettes. No more gambling! Save your money. Stop fornication, adultery and prostitution. Elevate the black woman; respect her and protect her. Let us rid ourselves of immoral habits and God will be with us to protect and guide us. Then, we must form a platform that will be good for all of our own people, as well as for others. As black people we must unite. We must recognize and give intelligent active support to our political leaders who fight for us unselfishly, sincerely, and fearlessly. But, to prove their sincerity and their right for the support of the black masses, these leaders must first display fearlessness, intelligence, and unity among themselves. They must stop their public bickering with each other. They must stop attacking each other in front of the white man, and for the benefit of the white man. If the black leaders must have differences of opinion, learn to go into the closet with each other, but when you come from behind closed doors, show a united front in the face of the one who is a common enemy to all of us. Mr. Muhammad has invited all of the leaders here today for that purpose. He wants our people united, but unity will never exist among the black masses as long as our leaders are not united. We want to get behind leaders who will fight for us...leaders who are not afraid to demand freedom, justice, and equality. We do not want leaders who are hand picked for us by the white man. We don’t want any more Uncle Toms. We don’t want any more leaders who are puppets or parrots for the white man. We want brave leaders as our spokesmen, who are not afraid to state our case, who can intelligently demand what we need, what we want, and what is rightfully ours. We don’t want leaders who are beggars, who feel they must compromise with the enemy. And we don’t want leaders who are selfish or greedy...who will sell us out for a few pieces of silver. A big election is coming up this year. What kind of leaders do we want in office? Which ones will the black masses get behind? Mr. Muhammad has thousands of followers, and millions of sympathizers. He will place his weight behind any fearless black leaders who will stand up and help the so- called American Negroes get complete and immediate freedom. If these black leaders are afraid that to be identified with us they will irk the white man, or lose the white man’s favor or his support, then they can no longer expect the support of the black masses. They call us racial extremists. They call Jomo Kenyatta also a racial extremist and Tom Mboya a moderate. It is only the white man’s fear of men like Kenyatta that makes him listen to men like Mboya. If it were not for the extremists, the white man would ignore the moderates. To be called a “moderate” in this awakening dark world today, that is crying for freedom, is to receive the “kiss of death” as spokesmen or leaders of the masses...for the masses are ready to burst the shackles of slavery whether the “moderates” will stand up or not. We have many black leaders who are unafraid, especially when they know the black masses stand behind them. Many of them are qualified to represent us not only in this United States government, but could also represent us in this government if we are given 100 per cent citizenship and the opportunity for FIRST-CLASS participation... or else we can get behind these same leaders in setting up an independent government of our own. We, the black masses, don’t want these leaders who seek our support coming to us representing a certain political party. They must come to us today as black leaders representing the welfare of black people.