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    Books On US Civil Rights Movement

    I've started on Taylor Branch's MLK trilogy and it is awesome. I'm wondering where I will go afterwards. My thoughts are that city by city might be a good approach, starting with a history of the organization in Montgomery, for example. Any thoughts?

    Another issue to address is whether Branch's approach has been criticized (it seems very personality driven so far but does also give you structural context such as the gradual development of Atlanta's black middle-class into lower middle class East and black elite West).
    Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 01-08-2020, 09:16.

    #2
    Manning Marable's 'Malcolm X' - a 5-☆ book.

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      #3
      James Goodman, Stories of Scottsboro

      Timothy Tyson, Radio Free Dixie

      Jeanne Theoharis, A More Beautiful and Terrible History

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        #4
        Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Gaude, Jr., applies Baldwin's writing to the Trump era (mainly written in 2018 in France). Gaude begin's by visiting Baldwin's French home.
        Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 28-09-2020, 13:45.

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          #5
          Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable.

          Riposte: A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable's Malcolm X edited by Jared Ball and Todd Steven Burroughs.

          Marable dug up a lot of dirt on Malcolm that his admirers would have preferred he left alone. Marable overplays the claim that Malcolm was coming round to the idea of working within the framework of US constitutional democracy rather than opposing it as inherently white supremacist. However, Marable's quotes from Malcolm are excellent, as is his analysis of Malcolm's skills as an organizer (he essentially dragged the Nation Of Islam from a cult based around Chicago into a national movement with massively expanded membership and community depth). You'd have to read both books and make your mind up about how close Marable came to capturing the true Malcolm or whether he defamed him with the allegations about his pre-prison activities.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
            Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable.

            Riposte: A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable's Malcolm X edited by Jared Ball and Todd Steven Burroughs.

            Marable dug up a lot of dirt on Malcolm that his admirers would have preferred he left alone.
            Not read this book, nobody has ever made a secret about Malcolm X life before he converted to Islam (or to be more precise, the NOI). If anything, people have accused Malcolm X of talking up his criminal past as this was his unique selling point.
            The film Malcolm X does not pull any punches about what he was up to before going to jail and he talks about it extensively in his Autobiography.

            Marable overplays the claim that Malcolm was coming round to the idea of working within the framework of US constitutional democracy rather than opposing it as inherently white supremacist.
            What are the sources, I have heard alot of Malcolm X speeches (especially in his final year) and he seemed to be following more the Pan Africanist route (see his visit to Africa and meeting with African dignitaries whenever they came to the US).
            His plan seemed to be to have the plight of African Americans discussed on the floor of the UN as well as working with other black people across religious denominations.
            Malcolm X becoming a member of the mainstream political structure seems far fetched. He was still wedded to about 80% of the NOI's doctrine.

            For reference see his famous ballot or bullet speech and partnering up with Dr John Henrik Clarke to for the OAAU as well as not allowing white people to join his organisation.

            However, Marable's quotes from Malcolm are excellent, as is his analysis of Malcolm's skills as an organizer (he essentially dragged the Nation Of Islam from a cult based around Chicago into a national movement with massively expanded membership and community depth). You'd have to read both books and make your mind up about how close Marable came to capturing the true Malcolm or whether he defamed him with the allegations about his pre-prison activities.
            I think calling the NOI a cult based around Chicago before Malcolm X joined is a little unfair. Granted, he did alot to expand its membership and its appeal to non devotees.
            The NOI were doing alot in the community before Malcolm X joined.
            Trying to frame the organisation as built by Malcolm X smells of either bad research or mischief.



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              #7
              Marable makes the same accusation that the Autobiography exaggerates Malcolm's criminal role. His sources are the crime records. I agree that Malcolm was a pan-Africanist and that was his focus in his last year and he would certainly not have approved of MLK sticking with the Democrats. Marable is clearly hostile towards the NOI and that affects his objectivity.
              Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 29-09-2020, 13:08.

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                #8
                As far as I can tell Malcolm is still.very much in need of a serious biography. I wonder if it might be one of those cases where it is best done by a non-USian or someone who was not alive at the time.

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                  #9
                  Taylor Branch managed it with MLK but he's an exceptional historian. It's a huge task because it needs to be objective but also empathetic, and sometimes the only sources are the ghostwritten posthumously published Autobiography and/or the FBI files, all of which are problematic.
                  Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 29-09-2020, 14:10.

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                    #10
                    Absolutely. I wasn't in any way suggesting that it was easy.

                    Branch was also able to interview quite a few people who were active in the movement and provided essential material to his trilogy; I'm not sure how many of Malcolm's contemporaries are still around (not to mention whether they have any interest in speaking to a biographer).

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post
                      Absolutely. I wasn't in any way suggesting that it was easy.

                      Branch was also able to interview quite a few people who were active in the movement and provided essential material to his trilogy; I'm not sure how many of Malcolm's contemporaries are still around (not to mention whether they have any interest in speaking to a biographer).
                      A documentary was done speaking to his contemporaries and family members. It's here. probably one of the best documentaries ever made.
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7klC1zR60M
                      After watching this documentary, you will definitely understand him alot better.

                      Most of his contemporaries are now dead, and the ones alive (like Farrakhan) are unable to be objective for or against as their legacies are tied with his.

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                        #12
                        Thanks for that link - much appreciated.

                        Farrakhan may have a few things he needs to hide.

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                          #13
                          Thanks very much for that

                          I've seen clips from it, but look forward to watching the whole thing.

                          One set of my in-laws work in the New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical School complex across the street from where Malcolm was assassinated (and which now hosts the Shabazz Center). I can never pass by without getting the chills.

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                            #14
                            I can't speak more highly of the documentary, if his interviews and speeches (of which are all now on youtube) spliced with interviews of childhood friends, family members, Harlem residents, journalists, police officers (black and white) talking about his effect on them.

                            It is over two hours long but there is no guff or filler. Brilliant TV.

                            Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                            Farrakhan may have a few things he needs to hide
                            Definitely, he has sort of apologised and to be fair to him, at the time of Malcolm's split from the NOI, senior members like Farrakhan were put in a difficult position in siding with Malcolm X who was their teacher and Elijah Muhammed who was their spiritual leader.
                            He has talked about that dilemma in a famous speech i remember watching the best part of 30 years ago, It must be online somewhere and i can dig it up if you are interested.
                            Whether what he said was genuine or guff to put himself on the right side of history is up for debate. especially when a few years earlier he was boasting or implying the NOI had the perrogative to handle traitors however they saw fit and it was nobody's business to interfere.
                            This has been taken as an admission the NOI killed Malcolm X and Farrakhan had some personal liability.

                            The common consensus nowadays it was the government who did it with some assistance of operatives embedded within the NOI and the leadership within the NOI (not necessarily Elijah Muhammed personally) knew about it and didn't do enough to stop it.

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                              #15
                              It must be online somewhere and i can dig it up if you are interested.
                              That would be great. I still have some reading to do on Malcolm's assassination (and the role of Louis X/Farrakhan) so will delay declaring a position on that issue until I feel more qualified.

                              If we are noting potential criticisms of Malcolm: he negotiated with the KKK in early 1960 for the NOI to buy land for separate development. This was despite the Klan burning down his house and murdering his father when Malcolm was a kid.
                              Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 02-10-2020, 13:53.

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                                #16
                                I found this on Malcolm's parents, Earl and Louise Little, being asked to vacate their house because of a restrictive covenant (Lansing State Journal, 26.10.1929)

                                Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 02-10-2020, 14:12.

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                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                  I found this on Malcolm's parents, Earl and Louise Little, being asked to vacate their house because of a restrictive covenant (Lansing State Journal, 26.10.1929)

                                  This was covered in the documentary with testimony from Malcolm and his siblings.

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                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post

                                    That would be great. I still have some reading to do on Malcolm's assassination (and the role of Louis X/Farrakhan) so will delay declaring a position on that issue until I feel more qualified.
                                    To be fair, whatever you read will not be objective and your opinion will be based on personal prejudice. Nobody really knows for sure and those who do have/will take these secrets to their grave.

                                    If we are noting potential criticisms of Malcolm: he negotiated with the KKK in early 1960 for the NOI to buy land for separate development. This was despite the Klan burning down his house and murdering his father when Malcolm was a kid.
                                    Malcolm addressed this before his death.
                                    He admitted this, and said he did so under the instructions of his leader and believed in the plan until he suspected his leader didn't.

                                    There is precedent where people have negotiated with their enemy. See the formation of Israel as a good example.

                                    Again, watch the documentary, it will answer about 90% of your questions about Malcolm X and why i am a devotee.

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                                      #19
                                      Farrakhan interview on the death of Malcolm X.

                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6xY0Xla5ro

                                      I have a very good idea what the comment will be about the video.
                                      Last edited by Tactical Genius; 02-10-2020, 16:47.

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                                        #20
                                        Farrakhan makes a good point that the FBI would have silenced him if he was in on the assassination conspiracy.

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                                          #21
                                          Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                          Farrakhan makes a good point that the FBI would have silenced him if he was in on the assassination conspiracy.
                                          Indeed, many people were killed at the time for alot less. Alternative interpretations would be:

                                          If he himself was a paid informant (controlled opposition)
                                          If the plan was not to kill off the NOI but to mortally wound it, better to have it limp alond than kill it and everyone leave and form a more potent and militant organisation.

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                                            #22
                                            Malcolm knew he'd get into trouble with Elijah M when he said the Kennedy assassination was a case of chickens coming home to roost. He didn't need to say it (it wasn't in his prepared remarks; he opened up a Q&A from the audience when he didn't need to). He also didn't need to bring up Elijah M's sex life. This was incredibly brave but also inviting trouble unnecessarily. He could have adopted better tactics that would have kept him alive longer.
                                            Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 02-10-2020, 18:23.

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                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                                              Malcolm knew he'd get into trouble with Elijah M when he said the Kennedy assassination was a case of chickens coming home to roost. He didn't need to say it (it wasn't in his prepared remarks; he opened up a Q&A from the audience when he didn't need to).
                                              Spot on, I think at this stage he had become frustrated at what he saw was the inaction of the NOI and was tired of sitting on the sidelines sniping at the likes of the NAACP, SNIC, MLK etc.
                                              In his view, what was the point of having a well trained army of weapons-trained kung-Fu experts who were ex-gangsters and Korea Vets (and in many cases both) and not putting them to use at least as security.
                                              At this stage, his credibility and that of the FOI were taking a bit of a battering. add to that the internal feuding within the organisation (jostling for position as Elijah Muhammeds successor).

                                              He also didn't need to bring up Elijah M's sex life. This was incredibly brave but also inviting trouble unnecessarily. He could have adopted better tactics that would have kept him alive longer.
                                              Again, spot on.
                                              It wasn't smart and by doing that he signed his own death warrant. for many within the organisation who were wavering between Malcolm and Muhammed, that sealed it.

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                                                #24
                                                Marable notes that Malcolm X welcomed a plane crash that killed 130 people:

                                                https://www.reporternewspapers.net/2...ainful-memory/

                                                The context though is important: Malcolm was angry at the invasion of a mosque in Los Angeles by police, who shot and killed Ronald Stokes, as discussed in the documentary (the all-white grand jury dismissed the case):

                                                https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/th...nt/sources/392

                                                https://lithub.com/the-death-that-galvanized-malcolm-x-against-police-brutality/


                                                But again, Malcolm's reaction angered the NOI, which believed blacks should not take legal action but leave it to Allah to impose his own justice.
                                                Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 03-10-2020, 09:35.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Arguably Malcolm's best and most important speech, where he outlines a form of black power that breaks from the NOI and provides the possibility of alliances with black nationalists in CORE, SNCC, etc., to form an independent black party, possibly with its own army:

                                                  http://www.edchange.org/multicultura..._x_ballot.html

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