Freedmen Institute

Malcolm X
On this day, February 21, 1965 the nation mourned the assassination of Malcolm X, "Our Shining Black Prince" as he was referred to by actor and activist, Ossie Davis. Though Malcolm X left this earth at the very young age of 39, in his short lifetime he made a tremendous impact in the struggle for the rights and freedoms of people in this country and throughout the world.

Born Malcolm Little, in Omaha, Nebraska (1925) to parents who were followers of the teachings of Marcus Garvey's self-preservation and back to Africa movement. His father, Reverend Earl Little was a fearless Baptist minister from Reynolds, Georgia and his mother Louise Little was from Grenada, British West Indies.

At the age of six, Malcolm's father was killed by the Klu Klux Klan who wanted to silence his preaching of self-determination. His skull was crushed and his body was laid across the train tracks to be run over, severing his body nearly in half. Prior to his father's death, the family was constantly harassed, windows broken out, and home set on fire "while firemen and police watched" the home burn to the ground.

After Malcolm X's father was killed and his mother's health began to deteriorate, he was placed in a detention home outside of Lansing, Michigan. At the age of 15, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts to live with an older half-sister, Ella. Later, in 1943 he moved to Harlem, NY. It was in New York where Malcolm was drawn into the street life of crime, drugs, and hustling. In 1945, Malcolm moved back to Boston where he continued a life of crime until he was arrested.

In 1946, at the age of 20, Malcolm was sent to prison for breaking and entering and grand larceny. It was during his 10 year prison sentence that Malcolm became exposed to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. After his parole in 1952, he was released to the custody of his oldest brother, Wilfred, in Detroit, Michigan. Later that year, Malcolm personally met Elijah Muhammad in Chicago. After that meeting, Malcolm quickly rose to power within the Nation of Islam. He tripled their membership and in 1953 he was named assistant minister of Detroit's Mosque No. 1. In 1954 he moved to Philadelphia to establish Philadelphia Mosque No. 12 and later that year, he was named minister of New York Mosque No. 7. In 1958, Malcolm X married Betty X (Shabazz) and from the period of 1958-1965 they had six daughters.

As Malcolm began to rise in prominence, he caught the attention of the FBI, which began to do surveillance on him. He went on to establish temples in Springfield, Massachusetts, Atlanta, Georgia, and Hartford, Connecticut. His powerful oratory skills drew huge crowds wherever he spoke. Soon, the New York police department sent undercover officers to infiltrate the Nation of Islam and the FBI, believing he was getting too powerful, sent a memo to "Stop Malcolm."

In March 1964, Malcolm X separated from the Nation of Islam and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. It was during this pilgrimage, that Malcolm began to change his beliefs. When asked what impressed him the most, he stated "The brotherhood... The people of all races, colors (from blue-eyed blondes to black skinned Africans) from all over the world coming together as one... It has proven to me the power of the one God."

Malcolm, upon his return to the United States established the Organization of Afro-American Unity and was highly sought after for speaking engagements throughout the country. He became acutely aware that someone was out to kill him and spoke openly of those beliefs. On February 21, 1965, as he was standing at the podium to address the crowd (Organization of Afro-American Unity) at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, NY, a disturbance occurred. Within seconds, Malcolm was shot with a sawed-off shotgun, followed by several rounds of automatic weapons. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm.

While there are many who would say that Malcolm X lived a life of hate and violence; what isn't stated is that of seven of his father's siblings, ALL but one were either shot or hanged at the hands of racial violence. Through all of his experiences, Malcolm ultimately found peace, equality, and a belief that there was good in people of all "races" nationalities, and religions. Thus, to know Malcolm, one would have to know Malcolm. Renowned actor Ossie Davis stated it best in the eulogy he gave at Malcolm X's funeral and depicted in the movie "Malcolm X"

Ossie Davis Eulogy of Malcolm X (Movie Malcolm X)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p_TXg15sq1s

Rare Ossie Davis Original Taped Eulogy of Malcolm X
https://ia800300.us.archive.org/24/items/dn2005-0207_vid/dn2005-0207_512kb.mp4?start=1800&end=2151

As part of this week's Freedmen Institute's collection is an original 1964 press photo of Malcolm X speaking to crowd in Harlem, NY; 1964 Saturday Evening Post magazine where Malcolm X gave his life story (in his own words); original press photo showing the investigative scene of Malcom X's assassination; album recording of Malcolm X's famous speech, "Ballots or Bullets"; link to Ossie Davis's eulogy at Malcolm's funeral.

Carter G. Woodson (Founder, Black History Month)

Historically speaking, the second week of February marks the official beginning of the celebration of Black History. Carter G. Woodson, known as the "Founder of Black History" established this week to closely coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14). The establishment of the entire month of February began nationally in 1976 and has continued since. Therefore, this past week's exhibit will feature the life of Carter G. Woodson, widely known as the "Father and Founder of Black History."

Carter G. Woodson was born December 19, 1875 to former slaves. He received academic degrees in 1903 from Berea College, Kentucky and from the University of Chicago in 1908. In 1912 he became the second African-American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University, the first being W. E. B. Dubois.

Carter G. Woodson joined the faculty at Howard University in 1919 where he also served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Woodson later became Academic Dean at West Virginia Collegiate Institute (West Virginia State University). Realizing that scholarly research on the role, achievements, and contributions of African-Americans was lacking or misrepresented, Woodson sought to address these deficiencies and inaccuracies. In 1915, Carter G. Woodson published his first book "The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861." That same year, he became one of the founders of "The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History" which later became "The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History." The primary focus of this organization was to address the deficiencies of black history taught in the classrooms and the contributions African-Americans made to American culture. A year later (1916) Woodson published the "The Journal of Negro History."

Carter G. Woodson dedicated his entire adult life to the study and promotion of African-American people. In February, 1926, he developed and promoted "Negro History Week." In 1937, Woodson published the "Negro History Bulletin" to specifically promote the theme of the annual observance. To help books about "blacks" get published, in 1920 Woodson founded the "Associated Publishers" the oldest African-American publishing company in the United States. Though Woodson began early on to lobby institutions, churches, leaders, and government officials for an entire month of observance, it wasn't until much later (President Ford, 1976) that "Black History Month" became officially observed, nationally.

Carter G. Woodson died April 3, 1950. In his lifetime, he published over 20 books, notably, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 (1915), Century of Negro Migration (1918), The History of the Negro Church (1921), The Negro in Our History (1922), and Mis-Education of the Negro (1933). Throughout the country, numerous schools, organizations, and book clubs are named after him. In 1984, the United States Postal Service issued a 20 cent stamp in his honor.

In "The Mis-Education of the Negro“ Woodson famously stated:
"If you can control a man’s thinking, you don’t have to worry about his actions. If you can determine what a man thinks you do not have to worry about what he will do. If you can make a man believe that he is inferior, you don’t have to compel him to seek an inferior status, he will do so without being told and if you can make a man believe that he is justly an outcast, you don’t have to order him to the back door, he will go to the back door on his own and if there is no back door, the very nature of the man will demand that you build one.”

As part of the Freedmen Institute's collection is an original signed copy of Carter G. Woodson's first book "The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861" published in 1915. Noteworthy, is that it's well known that Carter G. Woodson very rarely autographed his books himself. They were usually signed by his secretary. This particular copy was personally signed by Carter G. Woodson for Lawrence J. W. Hayes, Howard University, dated June 16, 1938. Additionally, a copy of Carter G. Woodson's Mis-Education of the Negro and a copy of one of the early posters promoting the celebration of "Negro History Week" are included.