MALCOLM X ON THE "BLACKNESS" OF A MAN
(1925 - 1965) American civil rights and Muslim leader, a brilliant orator who preached black seperatism and nationalism, assassinated while giving a speech in Harlem. "I PRAY ALLAH WILL NOT PUT THE SWORD IN MY HAND, FOR I DON''T BELIEVE I COULD BE MERCIFUL TO THE DEVILS" An especially early and important handwritten and signed letter "Malcolm X" and "M", 6 pages, 8 1/2 x 11", March 12, 1950, written from the experimental penal colony at Norfolk, Mass. to "Brother Raymond". Malcolm talks about the Pope, President Truman, and degrees of ''blackness'' in a man, and who the real ''devils'' were (white people). Although written but several years into his acceptance of Islam at this early period in his life, Malcolm''s ideas and thoughts as expressed in this letter were to influence his life for the next thirteen years until he finally broke away from Elijah Muhammad. In part: "...When the Pope in Rome proclaimed this a ''holy year'' I knew the time was ''nearer than many realize.'' He says he is the ''Door.'' (smile) Well, no doubt he is, but where does he (as a door) lead to, or from?...Truman is one who knows what''s going on, but you can see he''s not talking. When he got that [Masonic] 33rd degree I knew he''d be the last one...for that is the last degree he can get...the farthest he can travel...and he is also the 33rd president. You think this is coincidence? No other president ever got beyond 32 in office...and those who sought to go farther while in office, died in office. Do you realize that of all those who died in office none died a natural death?...No, what is going on now cannot be averted even by Truman, because I do believe he is at present taking his orders from someone above him...from Allah Himself. Can you not see how the land is fast becoming crippled by various methods and Truman raises not a hand to deter the events...he must be powerless!...Yes, The Light teaches the Blacker a man is the Holier he is inside. Oddly, but I''ve never been taught this yet, directly, by anyone...but my mind has given it much thought and drawn many conclusions...Long have I wondered what made people black...since accepting Islam I have pondered over what it is that the Godly possess that the ungodly lack...what substance was it that comprised the Spiritual Essence found within the Godly, but void in the ungodly...The word ''pigment'' is the Root...Those who are without Spirit are ''blanc'' [white]...for the Truth can be seen!!..Africa being the Home of the Holy People, is Africa not then the Holy Land everyone is fighting for...and these devils, having robbed us blind, point elsewhere to fool us on the true whereabouts of the Holy Land is and we so blindly look where he points...but have not our own Black Fathers and Mothers been always the only ones to sing of the River Jordan...Is the Nile the True River Jordan? Was the Nile not the river that we were sold down...the River that we descended? Brother, forgive me for the many queries, but this devil sure has things confused, and everyone in darkness...When the Light fully shines, I pray Allah will not put the Sword in my hand, for I don''t believe I could be merciful to the devils..." Malcolm goes on to speak of whites and ''their God:'' ''Just as ours is the Highest Essence of Blackness, the Most Holy, Allah, All in All...theirs is the opposite... theirs is blanc...Nothing! Lucifere! Lucifere is a Latin word. Breaking it apart: fere is the verb ''to be'' meaning ''to carry''...luci means white. This Truth gives me my real kicks, Brother..." He notes in his initialed postscript: ''Don''t forget to tell me of S[onny] Stitt and of all the others in Show Biz who are Muslims.The young fellows here like to know those things..." Folds and some wear, one or two water spots in the text, else very good. In 1946, Malcolm X (Malcolm Little) was arrested for burglary and larceny and sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. He was paroled in 1952, and was ordained a minister in the Nation of Islam.