How the African Independence Movement Influenced Malcolm X
The independence movements in Africa had a considerable influence on Malcolm X’s political ideology. Malcolm frequently compared the African American struggle. This was demonstrated in the remarks Malcolm X made at a 1959 speech.
Malcolm was particularly interested in the Mau Mau rebellion against British rule in Kenya. He described the Mau Mau as “our beautiful brothers.” Malcolm suggested that Muslims in the Nation of Islam should learn from the tactics used by the Mau Mau.
The two clips above demonstrate how the anti-colonial struggles in Africa influenced Malcolm’s ideology. One of the reasons why Malcolm began to preach Black Nationalism was because he studied the liberation struggles in Africa and noticed that anti-colonial leaders in Africa had used nationalism to free their nations from colonialism. He stated:
It is nationalism that is bringing freedom to oppressed people all over the world. It was nationalism that brought freedom to the Algerians. It was nationalism that brought freedom to the Nigerians and to the Ghanaians. It was nationalism that brought freedom to the people of Uganda and Tanganyika and Sudan and Somaliland. It was nationalism that has brought about the freedom of every oppressed people. They have studied the tactics and the strategy and the message of all of the African nations who have emerged and have won their independence. And they have seen that the Africans did not get it by sitting in. They did not get it by waiting in. They did not get it by singing, “We Shall Overcome;” they got it through nationalism. And you and I will get it through nationalism.
After Malcolm left the Nation of Islam, one of the two organizations which he formed was the Organization of Afro-American Unity. This organization was influenced by the Organization of African Unity. Malcolm had preached Pan-Africanism while in the Nation of Islam, but leaving the organization gave Malcolm more freedom of direction. This included traveling throughout Africa and meeting with several African leaders. Malcolm described meeting with Kwame Nkrumah as a high honor.
The civil rights struggle in the United States and the anti-colonial struggle in Africa not only took place at the same time, but the two struggles were interconnected in some very important ways. One of the clearest examples of this was the influence that the anti-colonial struggles in Africa had on Malcolm X.
—
Dwayne is the author of Malcolm X, Bob Marley, and Other Essays
