Malcolm x: utopian or scientific - an inquiry into the philosophical changes of el-hajj malik el-shabazz, 1960-1965, 1988

Abstract

Malcolm X, El-Hajj Malik El-Shaba zz, also known as Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, and was assassinated on February 21, 1965 in New York. In this dissertation an attempt was made to ascertain whether or not there were changes in his political philosophy during the period 1960 through 1965. It was hypothesized: A. That Malcolm X1s philosophy originally reflected the tenets of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. B. That Malcolm X changed his concept of all whites as devils, changed his stand on integration and discarded his objections to black-white intermarriage. C. That Malcolm X steadfastly maintained the right to self-defense for black people while never accepting nonviolence as his personal strategy, or urging wanton violence; advocated meeting violence with violence if first attacked ; chose to organize reformist institutions , i.e. , the Muslim Mosque Inc., and the OAAU, while making statements explaining the nature of revolution and revolutionaries; denounced the exploitative, and oppressive nature of capitalism; praised socialist mat ions and socialist leaders , but never made the leap to become a socialist himself; denounced Martin Luther King, Jr., specifically, and black leaders generally, then sought to form a coalition by working with civil rights leaders.That Malcolm X always had a deep love for Africa and its people, original 1y seeing it as one geographical area for a nation under the aegis of the Black Muslims, and later as a continent of spiritual return for black Americans. Using a methodology guided by the work of Professor Mack Henry Jones in his, 'A Frame of Reference for Black Politics,' the American political community is seen as being made up of a white Dominant group and the black Submissive group. The Jones Model referred to above employs figures which focus on the patterns of activities observed in Dominant/Submissive group situations across time and cultures. The hypothesis presented in detailed form above, was substantiated by the inquiry. This is the first known attempt at demystifying the philosophy of Malcolm X using a scientific methodology