With his unbridled demand for political and economic freedom, Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X, had a profound influence on the Black Power Movement that emerged in the wake of his brutal assassination on February 21st 1965 that has inspired generations of activists ever since, not only political organisers but also cultural artists. (1)
Indeed, through the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X highlighted the need to wage a “cultural revolution.” (2)
“We have to have the type of understanding of Africa and the type of understanding of our people here in order to build a line of communication between the two. And once the lines of communication have been established, and our African brothers can stretch forth their hands and reach us, and we can stretch forth our hands and reach them while there’s nothing that this blue-eyed man in this country will be able to do to you and me successfully from that day onward.” (3)
Some sources contend that “the Black Arts Movement began—symbolically, at least—the day after Malcolm X was assassinated,”led by the likes of Amiri Baraka, Larry Neal, Sonia Sanchez and Haki Madubuti. It was regarded as “the aesthetic and spiritual sister of the Black Power concept.” (4)
This added to artists that had already taken up this mission, centering on a reciprocal exchange between the Motherland and the diaspora like Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Babatunde Olatunji to Max Roach, Randy Weston, Phillip Cohran, John Coltrane and the Grandassa Movement that begun to popularise the phrase “Black Is Beautiful” in the early 1960. (5)
In many respects this was a revival of the previous major artistic flowering known as the Harlem Renaissance, whose “potential infrastructure” was provided by the Garvey Movement. In fact it is a recurring theme in history as we can with the proliferation of the Rastafari movement globally with the advent of roots reggae music. (6)
Although many of today’s artists could claim to be inspired by the legacy that Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X engendered. Beyonce’s 2016 Super Bowl performance has been argued as both evidence of the Movement’s resonant quality or conversely its commodification. Nevertheless, there is arguably no movement comparative to the Black Power, Garvey of Rastafari heyday to incubate it in the present making contingent on the resilience of the artist. (7)
(1) The African-American Historical Association of Western Maryland (07/02/23) Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement. https://aahawmd.org/malcolm-x-and-the-black-power-movement/
(2) Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X (28/06/64) Speech at the OAAU Founding Rally. https://www.icit-digital.org/articles/malcolm-x-s-speech-at-the-oaau-founding-rally-june-28-1964
(3) KUNM (12/11/91) Malcolm X Documentary. https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-207-60qrfqmn
(4) Poetry Foundation (2026) The Black Arts Movement. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/148936/an-introduction-to-the-black-arts-movement
(5) Melvin Gibbs (08/09/24) The Changing Nature of Protest in Jazz. https://www.jazztimes.com/features/profiles/changing-nature-of-protest-in-jazz/4/?v=7885444af42e; Tanisha C. Ford (11/06/20) Black Is Beautiful. https://aperture.org/from-the-archive/kwame-brathwaite-black-is-beautiful/
(6) Tony Martin (1983)Literary Garveyism: Garvey, Black Arts and the Harlem Renaissance. The Majority Press. p. 157
(7)BBC News (08/02/16) Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance: Why was it so significant?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35520636; Kehinde Andrews( 11/02/16) Beyonce’s ‘bootylicious’ sexualisation of black women isn’t inspiring – and her politics leave a lot to be desired. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/beyonces-bootylicious-over-sexualisation-of-black-women-isnt-inspiring-and-her-politics-leave-a-lot-a6867561.html.
What is the cultural legacy of Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X?
1) Why does art flourish in periods of political activity?
2) How does it help the Movement?
3) Are pop culture references a sign of a strong legacy or its commodification?
4) Who are todays artistic flag bearers do they no longer need a movement to thrive?
Our Special Guest:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
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