Author: kamaurashid

Malcolm X’s Unfinished Work

On this day, February 21, in 1965 Malcolm X was assassinated. He was a man who reflected a world encompassing vision. He was concerned not just the plight of Africans/Blacks in the United States and our right to sovereignty and self-determination but also was an ardent critic of colonialism and its denial of these same rights to the global south.

In many ways, his death proved futile as a means of suppressing his vision. The Black Freedom Movement became considerably more radical after his death, as various formations focused on core positions of his, such as territorial sovereignty, cultural reclamation, and revolutionary struggle–all of which were outgrowths of his lifelong commitment to Black nationalism. Further, and largely due to his influence, the vectors of Black consciousness were irrevocably changed, which is evident by the continued interest in his legacy and ideas over the decades since his death.

It should be noted that Malcolm was not an advocate of superficial notions of change, the kind that were fashionable in his day and again in ours. He was an ardent critic of those who would pose tokenism and assimilation as solutions to the global problems that our people face. These are, in his view, simply forms of surrender. He recognized that power was the answer to our problem–power over our collective destiny as an African world.

The struggle that he was engaged in is on-going. His work remains unfinished.

Kuumba

“Take what you do best and do it for your people.”
-Dr. John Henrik Clarke

The best of ourselves should always be used to uplift our people. The sixth day of Kwanzaa focuses on the principle of Kuumba (Creativity), which encourages us “To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.” This principle reminds us of the importance of using our talents, skills, and intellect to improve the condition of our community, recognizing, as the Ewe proverb says, that “Your goodness is not for yourself but for others.”

Nia

“When a people lose the knowledge of who they are, that is, their culture, they lose the very foundation upon which their individual existence and their society is based. To combat this loss, each African person must be equipped with a ‘Grand Vision of the Future,’ a vision extending beyond personal interests such that this vision becomes the embodiment of the vital interest and moral centerhod of the entire African World Community. I refer to this vision as The African Principle.”
-Dr. Anderson Thompson

In our ancestral paradigms, the purpose of life was inextricably linked to the collective good. The fifth day of Kwanzaa focuses on the principle of Nia (Purpose), which encourages us “To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.” This principle reminds us that in African traditions, the purpose of human existence is to to contribute to the betterment of one’s community. It also encourages us to study the past and to use it as a standard for excellence.

Ujamaa

“The philosophy of black nationalism involves a re-education program in the black community in regards to economics. Our people have to be made to see that any time you take your dollar out of your community and spend it in a community where you don’t live, the community where you live will get poorer and poorer, and the community where you spend your money will get richer and richer.”
-Malcolm X

An economic system provides for the material needs of a community. The fourth day of Kwanzaa focuses on the principle of Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), which encourages us “To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.” This principle compels us to seek to control the economies of our communities and societies. Economic dependency is a basis of enslavement. True sovereignty requires that we provide for our own needs to ensure a prosperous future.

Ujima

Akpata na abọ di mma nkụkọta.
“It is good to join two brooms together when sweeping.”
-Igbo proverb

Cooperation is the lifeblood of community. The third day of Kwanzaa focuses on the principle of Ujima (Collective work and responsibility), which encourages us “To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.” This principle teaches us that our obligations are not limited to ourselves, but that they extend to our community as a whole and our collective well-being.

Kujichagulia

“A revolutionary wants land so he can set up his own nation, an independent nation.”
-Malcolm X

A sovereign people defines its own reality. The second principle of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia (self-determination), expresses “To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.” This pinciple necessarily teaches the interrelatedness of self-reliance to self-determination. To determine our own future, we must also be secure within ourselves. This means that we must feed, cloth, house, heal, educate, and defend ourselves. Without these, we are dependent on others and cannot be truly self-determining.

Umoja

Mbooloo mooy doole.
“There is power in a group.”
-Wolof proverb

Unity of purpose is critical for our success as a people. The first principle of Kwanzaa, Umoja (unity), expresses “To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.” Unity is the basis of any collective success, and enables us to effective practice self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, or to have faith in ourselves and our capabilities.