Source: Les Payne. The Dead Are Arising - The Life of Malcolm X (2020)
By the Spring of 1963, Malcolm X was waging a two-front campaign for the hearts-and-minds of African-Americans, criss-crossing the nation being much-in-demand on radio and television. Malcolm X had all the ingredients of being a folk hero, except that he didn’t have the folks behind him; Martin Luther King, Jr. did. Despite a lack of cohesion, the mainstream Civil Rights Movement went viral in the South, with Civil Rights peaceful protesters becoming more organized and confrontational in the face of over 300 years of racism and segregation.
Not only was MLK trying to change decades of de facto and de jure segregation, but also apartheid-like practices, such as an African-American stepping off a sidewalk when a white person approached. Added to that were varying and unique Southern state laws, such as in Alabama white nurses could not work in a hospital that had even one African-American patient. Georgia had a law banning establishments from serving alcohol if there were whites and African-Americans in the same room. By the Spring of 1963, MLK and the mainstream Civil Rights Movement was basically trying to force a change in the behavior of Southern whites, since far-too-many Southern whites believed that segregation was ordained by God, and that the “mongrelization” of the white race would never be allowed to happen.
Thirty-three states still outlawed mixed-race marriages, and obviously not all those states were in the South. Where MLK downplayed mixed marriages, Malcolm X hyped it up, preaching that race-mixing was the white man’s worst nightmare; Malcolm X repeatedly pointed out centuries-old hypocrisy in the South, bringing up Jefferson and Sally Hemings. MLK wanted to erase segregation via integration, gaining access to full citizenship and economic opportunities.
Not only was MLK trying to change decades of de facto and de jure segregation, but also apartheid-like practices, such as an African-American stepping off a sidewalk when a white person approached. Added to that were varying and unique Southern state laws, such as in Alabama white nurses could not work in a hospital that had even one African-American patient. Georgia had a law banning establishments from serving alcohol if there were whites and African-Americans in the same room. By the Spring of 1963, MLK and the mainstream Civil Rights Movement was basically trying to force a change in the behavior of Southern whites, since far-too-many Southern whites believed that segregation was ordained by God, and that the “mongrelization” of the white race would never be allowed to happen.
Thirty-three states still outlawed mixed-race marriages, and obviously not all those states were in the South. Where MLK downplayed mixed marriages, Malcolm X hyped it up, preaching that race-mixing was the white man’s worst nightmare; Malcolm X repeatedly pointed out centuries-old hypocrisy in the South, bringing up Jefferson and Sally Hemings. MLK wanted to erase segregation via integration, gaining access to full citizenship and economic opportunities.
Malcolm X and the NOI totally dismissed the possibility of integration, wanting instead a separate society for African-Americans, with the land/property paid for via reparations. Malcolm X argued that African-Americans could take it from that point in their separate societies. Malcolm X was very harsh in his rhetoric against Civil Rights leaders and celebrities that were married to white women, but he never made his arguments personal
On a 7 March 1962 debate, Malcolm X faced off against James Farmer of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), who was married to a white woman. During the debate, Malcolm X scoffed at the predominant belief among Southern whites that segregation was a religious thing, saying that it was a “white man thing”. In effect, while MLK was trying to change the behavior of whites, Malcolm X and the NOI were trying to do so with African-Americans.
Even as MLK was reaching the pinnacle of the Civil Rights Movement, there was growing dissatisfaction and a lack of patience with his nonviolent methods in the face of increasingly violent opposition from white mobs and law enforcement in the South. As the storm of opposition increased against the Civil Rights Movement, the thunder outside was Malcolm X.
The rise of the NOI and Malcolm X made MLK all the more appealing to the mainstream white power-brokers, which was not lost on Malcolm X. Adding to Malcolm X’s frustration was that his lecture tours and media coverage hadn’t won over the African-American masses; while many African-Americans liked Malcolm X, the NOI, and particularly the Fruit of Islam (FOI), were not appealing in the least. Malcolm X became increasingly frustrated in that he seemed to be winning over recruits to the NOI, but when he mentioned Elijah Muhammad’s name, attention and momentum was lost.
On a 7 March 1962 debate, Malcolm X faced off against James Farmer of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), who was married to a white woman. During the debate, Malcolm X scoffed at the predominant belief among Southern whites that segregation was a religious thing, saying that it was a “white man thing”. In effect, while MLK was trying to change the behavior of whites, Malcolm X and the NOI were trying to do so with African-Americans.
Even as MLK was reaching the pinnacle of the Civil Rights Movement, there was growing dissatisfaction and a lack of patience with his nonviolent methods in the face of increasingly violent opposition from white mobs and law enforcement in the South. As the storm of opposition increased against the Civil Rights Movement, the thunder outside was Malcolm X.
The rise of the NOI and Malcolm X made MLK all the more appealing to the mainstream white power-brokers, which was not lost on Malcolm X. Adding to Malcolm X’s frustration was that his lecture tours and media coverage hadn’t won over the African-American masses; while many African-Americans liked Malcolm X, the NOI, and particularly the Fruit of Islam (FOI), were not appealing in the least. Malcolm X became increasingly frustrated in that he seemed to be winning over recruits to the NOI, but when he mentioned Elijah Muhammad’s name, attention and momentum was lost.
Elijah Muhammed simply didn’t care about anything else at that point other than his luxuries and the massive revenues coming his way, mostly due to Malcolm X. By the Summer of 1963, EM was spending most of his time away from Chicago. EM did not have the same vision for the NOI as Malcolm X; EM was happy with a sect that gave him a spotlight and wealth, and that was it. EM had to desire for popularity across racial lines or media attention.. By the time Malcolm X reached the age of 37, he had outgrown the NOI. Since 1959, Malcolm X had rarely passed up a chance to be on television, and his fame and influence fed the coffers of the the NOI (and EM), far beyond their dreams. Malcolm X bristled at the growing negative perspective of the NOI in the media, as well as the media’s praise for MLK and his methods.
To achieve his vision of the NOI, Malcolm X wanted to drastically reorganize and reorient Chicago’s HOI HQ, and to get EM “on board”, not to replace him. By the Summer of 1963, Philbert was “snitching” on his Malcolm X to EM, after Malcolm X bragged to his brother what he accomplished and what he was trying to do. A hornet’s nest of opposition to Malcolm X existed in NOI’s Chicago HQ, especially among EM’s sons, since no matter how many times Malcolm X invoked EM’s name, that attention remained on Malcolm X. The blood relatives of EM simply saw themselves as a “Royal Family” within the NOI, and viewed Malcolm X as a dangerous threat. EM’s respiratory ailment meant that he was spending most of his time in his mansion in Phoenix, and with that distance from Chicago came the belief among the “Royal Family” that Malcolm X might leapfrog one-or-all-of-them in the NOI hierarchy and replace EM.
To achieve his vision of the NOI, Malcolm X wanted to drastically reorganize and reorient Chicago’s HOI HQ, and to get EM “on board”, not to replace him. By the Summer of 1963, Philbert was “snitching” on his Malcolm X to EM, after Malcolm X bragged to his brother what he accomplished and what he was trying to do. A hornet’s nest of opposition to Malcolm X existed in NOI’s Chicago HQ, especially among EM’s sons, since no matter how many times Malcolm X invoked EM’s name, that attention remained on Malcolm X. The blood relatives of EM simply saw themselves as a “Royal Family” within the NOI, and viewed Malcolm X as a dangerous threat. EM’s respiratory ailment meant that he was spending most of his time in his mansion in Phoenix, and with that distance from Chicago came the belief among the “Royal Family” that Malcolm X might leapfrog one-or-all-of-them in the NOI hierarchy and replace EM.
When EM gave Malcolm X permission to be interviewed by Playboy, which was conducted by Alex Haley (who helped Malcolm X with his autobiography), who wrote a glowing introduction of Malcolm X before the interview, stating that in effect Malcolm X ran the show in the NOI. Despite his efforts to give EM credit, the scurrilous-hoohaw in Phoenix reached new levels. Haley’s “heir apparent” reference in the introduction was the main thing that fueled their fears/suspicions. Increasingly, Malcolm X would need to address his eroding position within the NOI; the FBI was fully aware of the dissension and tried to fuel it even more to weaken the NOI from within. Malcolm X told Wilfred that he had underestimated the poison in NOI HQ, and was trying to find an antidote.
Malcolm X had come to realize that he was living a Spartan lifestyle while EM and the “Royal Family” were living in luxury, provided for mostly by his actions. Malcolm X harbored deep-and-suppressed reservations about EM’s judgment and instincts. However, at such locations at Hartford, Malcolm X stayed verbally loyal to EM, but in effect Malcolm was offering himself, not the mystic/exotic EM, as a viable option to those that had doubts about Dr. King and the mainstream Civil Rights Movement. By this point, EM had prohibited Malcolm X from joining any Civil Rights protest or to assist protest organizers/demonstrators; for example, Jeremiah X had received the same directive, and he watched from the sidelines during the Birmingham Protests in 1963.
Malcolm X had come to realize that he was living a Spartan lifestyle while EM and the “Royal Family” were living in luxury, provided for mostly by his actions. Malcolm X harbored deep-and-suppressed reservations about EM’s judgment and instincts. However, at such locations at Hartford, Malcolm X stayed verbally loyal to EM, but in effect Malcolm was offering himself, not the mystic/exotic EM, as a viable option to those that had doubts about Dr. King and the mainstream Civil Rights Movement. By this point, EM had prohibited Malcolm X from joining any Civil Rights protest or to assist protest organizers/demonstrators; for example, Jeremiah X had received the same directive, and he watched from the sidelines during the Birmingham Protests in 1963.
Malcolm X came to realize that the NOI talked tough, but would not follow through on anything unless one of their own was involved. There were even instances when one of their own had been brutalized, but EM ordered the FOI to stand down. The contradictions and hypocrisy of EM and HQ had started to wear on Malcolm X, and his influence over the FOI was waning, entirely due to EM and the “Royal Family”.
Malcolm X’s greatest appeal was among non-religious African-Americans, which was estimated between 20% - 25% of the African-American population; MLK appealed to the balance of the African-American population. Malcolm X went deeper into his apocalyptic tones, while MLK’s bright optimism shined through far more. On 3 January 1964, Time Magazine named MLK its Man of the Year for 1963, and soon thereafter, MLK was awarded the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest to be so honored at the time.
Separately, both Malcolm X and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as a common enemy, with MLK being investigated even more since he had committed the cardinal sin of publicly criticizing Hoover’s FBI. The last straw for Hoover was MLK winning the Nobel Peace Prize, since Hoover (in his fantasy land) had actually believed he was in line for the prestigious award. Hoover did all he could, short of arresting MLK, to try and keep him from reaching Oslo (Norway) to accept the award.
Malcolm X’s greatest appeal was among non-religious African-Americans, which was estimated between 20% - 25% of the African-American population; MLK appealed to the balance of the African-American population. Malcolm X went deeper into his apocalyptic tones, while MLK’s bright optimism shined through far more. On 3 January 1964, Time Magazine named MLK its Man of the Year for 1963, and soon thereafter, MLK was awarded the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest to be so honored at the time.
Separately, both Malcolm X and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as a common enemy, with MLK being investigated even more since he had committed the cardinal sin of publicly criticizing Hoover’s FBI. The last straw for Hoover was MLK winning the Nobel Peace Prize, since Hoover (in his fantasy land) had actually believed he was in line for the prestigious award. Hoover did all he could, short of arresting MLK, to try and keep him from reaching Oslo (Norway) to accept the award.