Malcolm X Centennial Conference

From Malcolm X to Omowale Malik Shabazz: Towards a 21st Century New Afrikan Nationalism

On March 12th, 1964 Malcolm X publicly made his break with the Nation of Islam (NOI). Malcolm began to chart a new political course within the eleven months of his life after his declaration of independence from the NOI. Malcolm’s new political agenda not only represented a break with the politics of the NOI but with elements of North American Black Nationalism. Malcolm X was a transitional ideological influence on Black freedom struggle in North America. Malcolm is considered the ideological father of a “new” nationalist movement, often called the Black Power movement, which was in ascendancy during the mid-1960’s.

I argue that the “new” nationalist model that Malcolm was attempting to develop could be distinguished from the “old” or fundamental Black Nationalism in certain characteristics. Influenced by anti-colonial national liberation movements in Afrika[1], Asia and…