•
I
By Ro Da
The ational We Remem­
ber Malcolm observance held
on February 21. at the Abys­
inian B ptist Church in Har-
will be noted one of the
at event of our history in
fhi century.
Twcnty-five ye r after the
ination of EI Hajj M lik
el Shabazz, the hundreds who
gathered at this historic H r­
lem church bore witne to the
rem rkable resurrection to
relev nee of Malcolm X.
The church hich Adam
Cl yton Powell had pastored
and here he had invited Mal­
colm, the Muslim Minister to
speak, wa jammed to cap city
with ,t nding room only
udiencc of nearly 2,500
people. Another 600 people
wcre crowded gainst the
doorw y outside, eager aned
anxious to pay their re pects
to and honor their fallen/risen
ero, Malcolm X.
Fcbru ry 21, 1990 was a
great day in our hi tory
AT ABOUT 7: P.M. Dr.
Betty Shabazz, "Si ter Betty"
ro e from a front row scat in
the audience to take her place
on the dais. The sanctuary
erupted in thunderou and
sustained standing 0 lion or
this strong Afric n oman
who has devoted her life to
rai ing ix children and
vigore I y interpreting,
protecting nd defending the
life and legacy of her hu band,
EI Hajj Malik cl Shabazz.
In his welcome remarks
Rev, Calvin o. Butts, pastor of
Abys 'inianBaptistChurchand
r ds ja
ribu e to
a worthy successor to adam
Clayton Powell, reminded the
audience that 25 year ago,
there was serious difficulty
locating a church that would
even accept Malcolm s body
for the funeral services. But on
thi night, Rev. Buu made it
crystal clear that Sister Betty,
the famity and the friends and
devotees of Malcolm were
welcome at Abyssinian Baptist
Church. . . Sister Donna
Maremba Richards poured
libations and invi ted the spirit
of Malcolm to join the con­
gregation ... The choir led the
singing of the Black National
Anthem followed by God
Bles Africa ...
Then Dr. James Turner, the
peerless political analy r,
cholar. social activist and un­
apologetic di ciplc of Mal­
colm moved to the podium,
Staring uraight into the array
of cameras assembled by
various representative of the
local, national and internation­
al media. in a firm voice
James Turner, the Coordinator
of the National Malcolm X
CommemorationCommission.
proclaimed to thc world. "we
re here to set the record
straight. Wc have never ever
forgot n �alcolm X". Jhc
audi ce exploded into roar­
ing ovation at thc sound of thi
electrifying affirmation.
Thcre were so many high­
light during lhl� great eve­
ni ng. There ere testi menials
by Imam Siraj Wahhaj of
Brooklyn. Rep. AI Vann.
President 01' the ew York
State Black and Puerto Rican'
Legislative Caucus, rap artists
Reader
En ru
ri e:
Your Dollar
Editor:
Jes or Allah catch
holy hell if He came OIl the
SCCDC today a B man and
sought the financial pport of
the college educated d DOD
Chuckle Dee of Public Enemy
and Dougie Fresh and com­
munity activist Li a William-
on.
Haki Madhabuti and Sonia
Sanchez, two of our finest and
mo t consi tent poets and
poli tical activists read mag­
nificent pieces for the oc­
casion.
ONE OF the most moving
tc limonials however, came
from Percy Sulton, former
Manhattan Burrough Presi­
dent. and President of the
Inner City Broadcasting Co.
which operates the Apollo
Theater and the powerful
W.L.I.B. radio station.
Standing tall and erect at
the podium, one of the most
powerful Blac men in
America today reflected on
how he had repeatedly failed
in his numerou quests for
public office until he went to
Malcolm X and asked for hi
endorsement.
Mr. Sutton recounted how
Malcolrn.iwho had previously
not been inclined to become
involved in electoral politics,
had given him ble sing.
Armed with Malcolm's endor­
sement and an of the enor­
mou inftuence t at ent with
it, Percy Su to a elected to
the New York State Assembly.
BY HIS OWN admission
thi began his ri e to influence
in potiuc and subsequent ac­
ccs to thc corridors of
economic power. In a voice
filled with conviction and
emotion Mr. Sutton aid, "if
there had been no Malcolm X,
To The White
college educated Blae who
huddle together and fiend out
OD ds in the name of God
By Black preachers,
poIiticlaM, professor doctors,
lawyers, judge , entertainers,
d athlete , we have been
to fear the y dollar
ia cih na . are made
and broken. We frican
A ericans are being taught
that· a white man's game!
Shop White, bank White and
in White as though Black
pcop ve no financial .-
dam or cour ethnic loyalty
or iDIe&ritY and get educa-
. aDd rush to the � and
bare your soul for of their
good jobs is the maiD r
mem of our schooling. e are
being violently ta t t t e
the de auction. servir ional
pproach to life ... yet de ded
to � though an .
equal.
Stop fiending out on word
and ask Jesu or Allah. A
people who have insufficient
fin ncial faith in them elve
doubt the impartiality of God
and are forever doomed .. .sen­
teaeed to the contempt of maD
aod the destruction of God no
matter how much they fiend out
on ords, or education they ac­
quire.
, This world is about dollars
that you can obtain only thorugh
etImic unity. This world is abou
doI1an, doI1ars, dollars, and the
demn.tion of financial cowards.
Qalytbe people . dollars fai(
weD in this orld. Our daily
Deeds are upplied by do
'M fiend 0 on words ill
, rejection of financial unity, who
provide the dollars that supply
the daily needs of the people
om we profess to love.
Frank W. Burrell
there would be no Inner City
Broadcasting Co. no W.L.I.B.,
WDAS and there would be no
Apollo Theater."
A the evening approached
its climax Rev. Ben Chavis
presented the eulogy delivered
�y 0 sie Davis at Malcolm'
Funeral twenty-live years ago.
Concluding the eulogy with
his own benediction. Ben
Chavis compared "our Black
Shining Prince" to Jesus Christ
who suffered. bled and died so
that we might live. He chal­
lenged us to let Malcolm's
light shine in our daily lives.
He clo .cd with "God Bless
Malcolm X". It was a filling
clo c to a rcmarkablc histori­
c lev nt.
tional Malcolm X Com­
memoration Commi sion
proclaim May 19, National
Malcolm X Day in a national
ceremony in Omah , Nebra ka
(Malcolm's birthplace).
The National Commission
is hopcfulthat representative
from African American com­
rnunitie all across the country
will 'end delegation' to
Omaha in addition to holding
proelamaiton ccrernonie in
their own local communi tie
.on May 19.
May 19, will be another
great day in 1990 rhe YEAR
OF MALCOLM X. Malcolm
lives!
For furth r information
bout the May 19, N tional
Malcolm X Day event. pic e
write to Dr. Debor h Robin-
on, P.O. Box 11174.
W hington, D.C. 20008.
.. A I indic ted in my brief
remarks on this occa ion,
February 21, was not the end.
butthe beginning. the celebra­
tion of the Life, the Legacy.
the Lessons of Malcolm X will
be consumated on M y 19,
Malcolm's birthday. when the
African American Progressive
Action Network and the Na-
Ron Daniels serves as
President of the Institute for
Community Organization and
Development in. Youngstown.
Ohio. He may be contacted at
(216) 746-5747.
"
TO DAY SOUtH AFRICA/
TO;VJORROW TlfE WORLD /
COAJ SERYAT/VE:
RARTY
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