Why?
- They don't want to walk around... - Looking like me, like a nigger?
Why don't you want to look like what you are? Are you ashamed?
I'm not ashamed of being anything.
- I've got to wash this out. - Let it burn!
Nigger, get your hands off of me!
Go on, burn yourself, pain yourself trying to be white.
- I don't want to hear this shit. - I thought you were smart, but...
..you're just another cat strutting your stuff down the street...
..looking like a monkey. The white man sees you and laughs.
- Who are you? - The question is, who are you!
I'll tell you: you are lost in the darkness.
- But Elijah Muhammad has come to bring you into the light. -Who?
Elijah Muhammad can get you out of prison...
..out of the prison of your mind. But maybe all you want is a fix.
You get used to this life, you stop thinking and acting foryourself.
You'd cut yourthroats if you had to scrounge 3 meals a day.
So you let them feed you, give you dominos to play with...
- Let's go! Cut the sermon. - He blows his whistle...
..and you sit, you stand, you grab, gobble, file out, sleep...
I told you to knock it off.
- Now, are you going to take yard? - I'm staying.
Yeah, me too.
What are you sticking around for? I told you I gave you your last fix.
- What's your angle, nigger? - Nigger? Who's wearing yourdo?
You're the only one here who acts this way.
- You ain't afraid of the guards... - What else can he do to me?
You don't cuss, you don't talk no jive.
A man curses because he doesn't have the words to speak his mind.
Yeah... I know you've got an angle some kind of way.
Don'tcon me, don't con me and don't try!
I'm just offering you a cigarette.
I read, study. The first thing a black man must have is self-respect.
We have to quit taking the white man's poisons into our body...
..his cigarettes, his dope, his liquor, his white woman, his pork.
Pork?
- My mamma used to say not to eat pork. - She was right.
The pig is a filthy beast...
..part rat, part cat and the rest is dog.
Tell me something. What happens if you give all ofthat up?
If you get sick, can you go to a doctor?
I ran this hustle when I was on the outside, I tried...
I'm telling you God's words. Let me tell you...
- God is black. - Black? Everybody knows he's white.
The white man taught that you were a black heathen and you believed it.
He taught you to worship a blond, blue-eyed Jesus and you believed it.
He taught you that black was a curse.
- Did you ever look up the word black in the dictionary? - For what?
Come with me.
'Black: destitute oflight, devoid of color, enveloped in darkness...'
'..utterly dismal or gloomy: as, the future looked black.'
- You're good with those words. - 'Soiled with dirt, foul...'
'..sullen, hostile, forbidding: as a black day.'
'Foully or outrageously wicked; as black cruelty.'
'Indicating disgrace, dishonor or culpability.'
There are others. 'Blackmail, blackball...' -That's something.
Let's look up 'white'.
Here. Read.
'White: the color of pure snow...'
'..reflecting all the colors of the spectrum, the opposite of black.'
'Free from spotor blemish, innocent, pure...'
Isn't this something! 'Without evil intent, harmless, honest...'
'..honorable...' Wait a minute! This was written by white folks!
- It ain't no black man's book. - Why read it then? -The truth is there.
You've got to take whateverthe white man says and use it against him.
Yeah?
There are a whole lot of words in here.
Let's start at the beginning. We'll look them all up.
Page 1, the first word: 'Aardvark'...
'..earth pig, African ant-eating mammal.'
'Abacus: Chinese calculating instrument.'
'Abaddon: the place of the lost in Sheol, the bottomless pit.'
If you take one step towards Allah, he will take two steps towards you.
Lights out!
Hey, Pete! He'll wearout the baseball.
- Chuck, what's the score? - 10 to 1.
The Dodgers boughtJackie Robinson! We're pounding them to celebrate.
Yeah, that's all right.
The white man throws us a bone...
..and we're supposed to forget 400 years of oppression.
A nigger... a negro playing in the big leagues is something.
I told you to go behind the words and dig out the truth.
They let us sing and dance...
..butthat doesn't cancel out the greatest crime in history.
That blue-eyed devil locked us in chains, 100 million of us...
..broke up ourfamilies, tortured us, cut us off...
..from our language, our religion, our history.
Let me tell you about black history. The first men on Earth were black.
They ruled when there wasn't a white face anywhere.
But they teach us that we lived in caves, swung from trees.
That's a lie. We were a race of kings...
..when the white man crawled around on all fours in Europe.
Do they know who they are? Do you know where you came from?
- What's your name? - Malcolm Little.
That's the name the slave masters gave to yourfamily.
You don't even know who you are. You're nothing.
Who are you?
Look...
- I ain't Malcolm Little, I ain't Red and I ain't Satan. - So who are you?
- I don't know. - We are a nation, a tribe of Shabazz...
..lost in this wilderness called North America.
The tribe of Shabazz?
Allah has sent us a messenger, his name is Elijah Muhammad.
He reveals the true knowledge about ourselves.
The true nature of the black man is righteousness.
- So if we're righteous... - The whites are wicked.
I knew you'd get it. The white man is a devil.
I've sure met some in my life.
No. Not only some white men are devils...
..all white men are devils.
Have you ever known a good white man?
Have you ever met one who wasn't wicked?
'The body is a sacred temple, it must be purified.'
I will nottouch the white man's poison, his drugs...
..his liquor, his swine, his women.
A Muslim must be strikingly upright...
..so that those in the darkness can see the power of the light.
I will not commit adultery orfornication.
I will not lie, cheator steal.
But the key to lslam is submission.
That is why five times daily we turn to Mecca to pray...
..to bend our knees in submission.
I can't do that.
Forthe lost have found thatto admit theirguilt...
..to implore Allah's forgiveness, is the hardest thing on Earth.
The hardest and the greatest.
I don't know what I would say to Allah.
Have you ever bent your knees, Malcolm?
Yes, when I was picking a lock to rob someone's house.
Tell Allah that.
You can grovel and crawl for sin, but not to save your soul?
- Pick the lock, Malcolm. - I want to.
God knows I want to.
I received a letter that day from the honorable Elijah Muhammad.
The dear holy apostle wrote to me, a nobody, a pimp and a convict.
I have come to give you something...
..which can never be taken awayfrom you.
I bring to you a sense of your own worth...
..the worth of one human being, the knowledge of self.
It was like a blinding light. He was in the room with me.
He wore a dark suit and on his face I saw wisdom and pain.
But I knew I wasn't dreaming, he was right there with me.
I tell you, the most dangerous creation in the world...
..in any society is the man with nothing to lose.
You do not need 10 such men to change the world...
..one will do.
The earth belongs to us, the black men.
Whatever is around it or on it or in it...
..belongs to us.
Then as suddenly as he came, he was gone.
And then I could do it.
Paul on the road to Damascus heard the voice of Christ...
..he was so smitten by the truth that he fell from his horse.
I understand him. You see, it happened to me.
Why me?
'Dear brother Malcolm, I am back in the bosom oflslam.'
'We don't have much, but what we have is yours.'
'When you come out, which will not be in too long, come straight to us.'
Next.
What will it be?
- Take it all off. - You're getting rid of that cut? -Yes, sir.
'You write thanking me.'
'Don't thank me, thank Allah. He did itall.'
'Dear brother Baines, please thank Elijah Muhammad forthe money.'
'I have notwritten him because I have not yet proven myself.'
'I have shared his teachings with some old buddies...'
'..and with my main man, Shorty.' - He's gone nuts.
'Dear brothers, I thank you foryour concern.'
'All praise is due to Allah forthe honorable Elijah Muhammad.'
'I wrote the mayor, the governorand the president...'
'..but I haven't heard from them.'
'I have dedicated my life to telling the white devil...'
'..the truth to his face. Salam-Aleikum.' - Aleikum-Salam.
'P.S. I finally copied out the entire dictionary.'
I think the brother is coming along.
'The thief cometh not but forto steal and to kill and to destroy.'
'But I am come that they might have life...'
'..and that they might have it more abundantly.'
St. John 10, verse 10. Are there any questions?
Watch it, he's heavy on religion.
This has become a struggle between good and evil. Satan has a question.
Neither one of us can say who is good and who is evil.
- Just ask your question. - What color were the disciples?
Well, I don't think we know that forcertain.
- But they were Hebrews. - Right. - As was Jesus. -Ask your question.
- What colorwere the Hebrews? - I told you we don't know.
- Then you can't believe forcertain thatJesus was white. -One moment!
- God is white. Isn't itobvious? - It is in the painting.
But that doesn't prove he's white.
Jesus didn't have blue eyes and blond hair.
The pictures of God on the walls aren't historically exact.
Jesus was born in the midst of a colored population.
In the same Bible, in the Apocalypse, it is written thatJesus...
..had hair like wool and feet the color ofbrass.
Just what are you saying?
I'm proving to you thatJesus was not'a pale face'.
- Ah! - Amen. - Isn'tthat interesting!
Brother Malcolm!
He is waiting foryou.
My son!
You have been a thief...
..a drug dealerand a hustler.
And the world is still full of temptation.
When God spoke to the devil about how faithful Job was, the devil argued...
..that it was only God's protective hedge around him...
..that kept him pure.
The devil said: 'Remove that hedge and he will curse his maker'!
Well Malcolm, your hedge has been removed.
And I believe that you will remain faithful.
Yes, sir.
- Sidney, how many of these can you turn out? -500. -Make it 1000.
BrotherMalcolm, this is brother Earl, he just accepted the teachings.
- Salam-Aleikum. - Aleikum-Salam. - Brother Earl is dedicated.
- I'm a willing servant for Elijah Muhammad. - Let's get it busy.
Take a good look at where you live, at where everybody you know lives.
I don'twant you to think you're some bad luck accident.
Then I wantyou to go downtown, to Central Park West...
..and take a good look how the white man lives.
Go to other communities. Go to the ltalian community.
You don't see a black delicatessen in a Jewish community.
Why is everybody in this community making money but us?
It's time for the black man to stand up and take control of our dollars!
It's time for us to use ourdollars for ourown reverberation!
We can do whateveryone else can do if we become producers...
..if we become the masters of our own destiny.
We can have wool from sheep just like anyone else.
Where are ourclothing stores? Where are ourgrocery stores?
We need to control our dollars. We need to control our destiny!
It's where that Statue ofLiberty is, thatso-called freedom that you...
..and I are supposed to have, but foryou and I it says: 'Stop!'
- 'Don't come no further!' - That's right, brothers and sisters.
I want you to come on down to the temple.
Oh, I'm so surprised!
You've been in church and you expect to see heaven and there ain't none.
- Sister, come on down to the temple. - No, thank you. -At 2 o'clock.
You can't deny it, you've been down on your knees fortwo hours...
..begging some God to help you in the hereafter. Butthe hereafter is now.
Let me talk to you for a second. I can tell you're a wise man.
You're in this church every day.
These so-called white Christians are hanging our black Christians.
- This is the man that hates you. - Yes, yes.
He tells you to sing and shout and hope forsomething in the hereafter.
- We can have it right now. Come at 2 o'clock. -Okay.
Salam-Aleikum. It means 'peace be unto you'.
We have two children, Carlo and Billy.
You're black, that's what you are. You're black and you're beautiful.
You don't have to come here begging these folks for a job.
Even if you wash theirclothes, scrub theirfloors and rock their brats...
..you'll still end up poor. Yet you're here on the auction block.
They're examining you like you're a slave.
You see this? This is who you are, you're beautiful black cells...
..with pride and dignity. In fact...
Well?
We have to ask ourselves: 'How did we get this mind?'
You're an African who happens to be an American.
We didn't come overon the Nina, the Pinta and the whatchamacallit...
We didn't land on Plymouth Rock.
Plymouth Rock landed on us. It landed right on top of us.
Shorty? Is that you, brother?
Praise be to Allah! This is what I mean, the slave mentality.
This brotherand I used to rob together...
..we used to sleep with white women, we even went to prison together.
Some of you are still in prison, prisons of your mind. Stand up.
The brother is a little shy. Give me a hug!
Great! That's all right, brother.
He's still got his hairfried. That's the slave mind.
- That's the best hype a preacher ever did here. - No, it's the truth.
- Why don't you come to the temple? - I can't pay that shit no mind.
- You need to pay it all your mind. - Take it easy, greasy.
Let's go around the corner and...
Notanymore. I've been clean for8 years.
- 8 years? - 8 years. - You're something!
I love pigs'feet and white women too much. I can't be a Muslim.
That's because you're lost, but we can find you.
- What do you hearabout the old gang? -Sammy is dead.
He dropped dead over a chick 25 years youngerthan he was.
He had 25 grand in his pocket. I guess it was his lucky number.
What about... what was his name? Cadillac.
- Is he gone too? - He's hooked on heroine.
- Sophia? - She's still happily married to that rich old thing.
- She went forthe money. - The money.
Thank you, honey.
I haven't seen Archie. I heard he's living in the Bronx...
..if you want to call that living.
- It's been good seeing you. - Same here, Red.
Get the hell away from me! Bitch!
I'll pay you tomorrow.
- How are you doing, Archie? - My man, Red.
Come here, man.
Don'tget up, it's all right.
Yes...
Is...
..it really you, Red? - Yes, it's me.
I came to thank you...
..for saving my life. I think of that nighton the streets of Harlem...
..trying to gun each other down. - I wasn't going to shootyou, man.
ltwas just my rep. You know?
All I had is my rep.
But now...
..you tell me this. Did you really have that number?
I really don't remember, Archie. It's not important.
- The importantthing is to get you back on yourfeet. -Yeah.
I have some angles that haven't been figured out yet.
No... you'll be fine.
- It's all right. - Help me with my arm...
..I have to exercise my arm.
Yeah?
Yeah...
- Is that better? - Yeah, it feels good.
Ourwomen could have been doctors or lawyers or teachers or mothers.
Who's going to raise our children? Our men could have been...
..mathematicians, electricians, physicians.
What's the little boy going to do when his father is injail?
What's the little girl going to do when her mother is selling herself?
Thatdevil has made dead souls out of you and I.
Take the money.
You're dead to the knowledge of yourself, of your people...
..dead to the knowledge of your God.
He should get down on his knees and beg our mercy.
His kind has committed the greatest crime against your and my kind...
..every day of his life. He ought to say he's committed a crime.
Does he do that? He scorns you, he splits your head with a nightstick...
..he busts your head with a billyclub and he calls you a nigger! - Yeah!
He calls you a coon, boy, nigger!
You've been sitting down, laying down and bowing down for400 years...
..I think it's time to stand up.
- We're with you, brother Malcolm! - All right.
I'm with you too, I'm with all of you.
Praise you, praise you.
- Next Wednesday at 8. - I'll see you there.
Brother Baines, can we get a loud speakerset up outside?
I'm sure we can. This is sister Betty.
She lectures our women on hygiene and diet.
- Good. - Salam-Aleikum. - Aleikum- Salam, sister.
Brother minister, the sister wonders if you know what Sister Harriet...
..did between taking souls to the promise land.
No. What's that?
She ate.
Excuse me.
She's interesting.
- I was hoping that you would come and speak to my class. -Yes, I will.
- But I'm a hard man on the women. - Are you?
We have to be careful when it comes to women.
Too many of ourwomen have too much of the devil in them.
Bleaching and dying...
..and ironing their hair...
..running around in the streets half naked...
..talking too much, making men deceitful and untrustworthy flesh.
And you men are to blame too.
We don't protect, we don't value, we don't support.
The building of a new nation begins with the woman...
..because the mother is the first teacher of the child.
This is why we have to be very careful.
When it comes to choosing a mate...
Samson, the strongest man that ever lived...
..was destroyed by the woman who slept in his arms.
Should I tell my sisters that we don't believe in marriage?
No, we don'toppose marriage.
We're not Catholic priests. We don't believe in celibacy!
If a woman is the right height fora man, the right complexion...
If she's half the man's age plus seven...
..and if she understands that man's essential nature is strong...
..and she's willing to support that, and if...
..she can sew and cook, if she loves children, stays outof trouble...
- You've made your point. - Good.
- You haven't any time for marriage. - No.
- I'll write the chapters down foryou. -All right.
As well as the New Testament chapters.
- Does that mean you won't come to my class? - No, I love to teach.
When Elijah Muhammad shares this knowledge with you...
..you can't help but share it with others. - Excuse me.
Would it be okay if we sat down for a moment? It's a big building...
Yes. I'm sorry, I had you on yourfeet all day.
- Oh, no. - My mistake. - You've been on yourfeet for days.
And you didn't even finish your salad.
Let's talk about you. How tall are you?
- Why do you ask? - ldle question.
Then I hope you won't force me to answer it.
No, I won't force you.
Well, brother Baines says that I'm tall enough fora tall man.
He's briefed you also!
How old are you?
There are a few things about women that you don't understand.
- Some of us are quite possessive and very vain. -Are you?
And persistentwhen we set our mind to something.
What have you set your mind to?
Being a good Muslim, a good nurse...
..and a good wife. - BrotherMalcolm!
Excuse me, sister. Brother Johnson was attacked by the police.
- Excuse me, sister. - Yes.
- There was a scuffle. - He was just watching. - The cop said: 'Move!'
- The brotherdidn't move quick enough for him. - I mean... Crack!
What are you going to do? He'll rap a little...
..but you ain't going to do anything but make a speech.
Muslims talk a good game, but they neverdo anything.
- Charlie, wait up. - Who are they?
- We demand to see brotherJohnson. - Who are you?
- I'm the Muslim temple minister. - Never heard of you. -Where is he?
- There's nobody here by that name. - What is your name? - Don't worry.
Two witnesses saw him brought in here beat up.
- Didn't you hearthe sergeant? Outside! - I suggestyou look out.
- Jimmy, come here. - We intend to see brotherJohnson.
- Who are they supposed to be? - Brothers of brotherJohnson.
Let me take a look at the book.
- We've got him. Relief must have put him down. - Must have.
But you can't see him, because you ain't his lawyer.
Until I know he's receiving proper medical care, nobody will move.
Get an ambulance!
- Break it up. You got what you wanted. - No, I'm not satisfied.
To the hospital.
Come on!
We want justice! We want justice!
That's enough. I want these people moved out ofhere.
The fruit oflslam is discipline, they haven't broken any laws, yet.
- What about them? - That's your headache.
If brotherJohnson dies, I pity you.
- He'll live. He's getting the best care we can give. - Thank you.
All right, now let's disperse this mob.
We want justice! We want justice!
That's too much power for one man to have.
- I'm ready to take some heads. - We've gotta do something.
The word out of Chicago was to be patient.
- I'm tired of being patient! - Then you get on the phone...
..and let Mr. Muhammad know.
Have a seat, son.
The only thing I like integrated is my coffee.
What can I do foryou?
Well, Mister X...
..my name is Benjamin and I was out there tonight.
- Take iteasy. - I saw what you did...
..the way you talked to those policemen.
Mister X, I want to be a Muslim.
I ain't neverseen a nigger... I mean a colored person...
..a negro talk to no police like that before.
- You want to be a Muslim? - Yes, sir.
Do you know what it means to be a Muslim?
Do you?
No, notexactly. But I want to be one, just like you.
You should never join an organization unless you know what it's about.
Thank you.
You shouldn't give up so easily either.
We can use more young warriors like yourself. Come by the temple...
..Wednesday at 8 o'clock sharp. - Thank you, Mister X.
- I won't make you out a liar. - No, I don't think you will.
Thank you, brother.
Thank you.
Tonight I shall introduce you...
..as my national minister.
It will be a difficult task.
Your assignment is to build temples all overthis nation.
- More work than you've everdone before. -Yes, sir.
You will be in the public eye. Beware ofthose cameras.
Those cameras are as bad as any narcotic.
- The white devil will be watching your every step. -Yes, sir.
Yourown brothers will be jealous and hostile.
- Go slowly. - Yes, sir.
Here is a glass.
Now...
..it's dirty water, foul.
If you offerthis to the people, they have no choice. They'll drink it.
If they're thirsty.
But if you offerthem this glass...
..and let them make their own decision...
..they will choose the purest.
lslam is the only religion...
..that addresses the needs and the problems...
..of the so-called negro in America, especially in the slums. - Right.
lslam is the only way out from drugs and crime...
..unemployment, prostitution, alcohol, gambling, adultery.
Drink.
This sweet and gentle man gave me the truth from his own mouth.
Is that understood?
And I adored him in the sense of the Latin word to worship and to fear.
He was the first man I everfeared, not like the fear one has of a gun...
..but the fear one has of the powerofthe sun.
I pledged myself to him, even ifit cost me my life.
- Hello? - Betty, it's Malcolm.
- I know. - I'm here in Detroit.
- Will you marry me? - Yes. - Did you hear what I said? -And you?
- I think so. - Brother Malcolm, are you eating? -Yes. - Good!
I love you, Betty.
I love you back.
- It's not going to be easy. - We have no choice.
- I'll be away a lot. - I know.
- I'm leaving in the morning. - Hush now.
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia...
..Trenton, Newark, up to number 7, all the way to Boston. -Malcolm...
Shh!
You're with me...
..even when you're away.
I've nevertold you this.
The very first time I eversaw you standing up on the podium...
..you were cleaning yourglasses...
..and I felt sorry foryou. - Sorry for me? Why?
Because no one as young as you should be so serious.
- But I don't think that anymore. - What do you think?
I want to have a lot of babies with you.
Dear heart...
..I love you.
We're waiting on you folks. Are you trying to stop us?
We pray that Allah blesses you with a happy and a fruitful marriage.
- Congratulations! - All the best!
Check it out. The front page!
I must emphasize that Elijah Muhammad is not a politician.
I'm not here this afternoon as a republican, nor as a democrat...
..notas a mason noras an Elk.
Not as a Protestant nor a Catholic, not as a Christian nor a Jew.
Not as a Baptist nor a Methodist, noteven as an American.
lfl were American, the problem that confronts our people wouldn't exist.
So I have to stand here today as a black man.
- Right, brother! - Black people!
Before there were republicans ordemocrats, we were black.
Before there were masons or Elks, we were black.
Before there wereJews and Christians, we were black.
Before there was any such place as America, we were black.
AfterAmerica has passed from the scene, there will still be blacks.
Every election year...
..these politicians are sent up here to pacify us.
They're sent here and set up here by the white man.
They send drugs and alcohol to Harlem to pacify us.
They send prostitution down here to pacify us.
You can't get drugs, prostitution and gambling...
..without the white man's permission.
Every time you drink a bottle, it's a government bottle you're drinking.
I say and I say again, you've been had!
You've been took, you've been hoodwinked...
..led astray, run amuck! This is what he does!
Some people call this hate teaching...
..but this is love teaching.
I wouldn't tell you this ifl didn't love you.
Everything that I teach you, everything that I've said to you...
..has been taught to me by this dear man, this divine man.
Allah's praise is due for the honorable Elijah Muhammad!
'Attalah is fine and she misses you as much as I do.'
'Butthe news that you've dedicated 4 new temples is ourconsolation.'
'Dear heart, take care of yourself.'
They accuse Elijah Muhammad of being a black supremacist...
..simply because he's trying to uplift the conditions of his people.
The Jews who have exploited black people for I don't know how long...
..accuse Elijah Muhammad of being anti-Semitic...
..simply because he's trying to teach you and I...
..to be in charge of the businesses in our own community...
..to have economic leadership in ourown community.
This isn't black supremacy, this is black intelligence.
The black people in this country have been the victims of violence...
..at the hands of the American white man for400 years.
400 years... 400 years!
And we thought by following those ignorant negro preachers...
..that itwas Godlike to turn the other cheek.
One hundred years ago they used to put on white sheets...
..and sick bloodhounds on us. Now they've traded in the sheets...
Well, some of them have traded in the sheets.
They've traded in those white sheets for police uniforms...
..they traded in the bloodhounds for police dogs.
And just like old Uncle Tom tried to teach us to stop resisting...
..the Ku Klux Klan...
..to love ourenemy, to pray forthose who use us spitefully...
..you've got these new Uncle Tom so- called negro leaders today.
You've got these negro leaders today telling us to pray for our enemy...
..telling us to love our enemy who bombs us...
..who kills and shoots us, who rapes ourwomen and children! No!
No, that's not intelligent. That's not intelligent!
Elijah Muhammad is trying to teach us that just as the white man...
..and any other man on earth has the God given right...
..the human, the civil and the natural right to protect himself...
..we have the right to protect ourselves too.
This is what the honorable Elijah Muhammad is trying to teach us.
He's teaching us to love ourselves, not hate the white man.
Mister X, before we begin ourdiscussion tonight...
..'The black Muslims, hate mongers'...
..would you mind explaining the meaning of your name, the letter X?
During slavery the slave master gave the negro, they named...
..the so-called negro afterthemselves.
Elijah Muhammad teaches us that once we come into the knowledge...
..of lslam, of ourselves, we replace our slave name with an X.
X in mathematics represents the unknown.
Since we've been cutoff from ourown history, our own past...
..we use the X, until we get back to our country. - I see. Thank you.
- Doctor Payson? - Mister X is a demagogue...
..so he exaggerates. He's a disservice to every law-abiding...
..church-going American negro in the country.
Why do you teach black supremacy?
- Why do you teach hate? - Forthe white man...
..to ask the black man why he hates him...
..is like the rapistasking the raped: 'Do you hate me?'
The white man is in no position to accuse the black man of anything.
- This is a black man asking. - What do you call a negro with a degree?
You call him a 'nigger'.
You have to understand this type of thinking.
There were two types of slaves, the house negro and the field negro.
The house negro lived in the house, in the basement or in the attic.
He dressed pretty good, he ate pretty good. He loved his master.
He loved his master better than the master loved himself.
If the master's house caught on fire, the negro would put the blaze out.
If the master got sick, he'd say: 'We's sick?'
We's sick! This was the thinking of the house negro.
If anotherslave said: 'Let's run away, let's separate'...
..he said: 'Why? What's better than what we've got here?'
This was the house nigger.
And today we've still got a lot of house niggers running around.
Dear holy apostle...
..the ministers think Malcolm is getting too much press...
..they think he thinks he is the nation oflslam...
..that he has aspirations to lead the nation.
It was you who made Malcolm the man he is.
You...
..you go and tell the brothers that what the brother minister is doing...
..and has done has been of great benefit to the nation.
Tell them that I say so.
The ministers think he is of great benefit to himself.
- Just one question! - One question at a time.
Do you have any white friends?
- Did you say that white people are devils? -Yes, I did.
- Should all blacks be armed? - One of your most famous men said...
..'Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.'
- Will your cause be successful? - I hope so.
- Do you advocate violence? - No, sir.
- Has there been a white man who has helped your people? - In history?
- I don't understand the question. - Are you anti-Christian?
- You're saying you're anti-white? - No, you're saying I'm anti-white.
- Are all white people devils? - We've got to move out.
Excuse me, Mister X. Hi.
I've read your speeches and I believe thata lot of whatyou say is true.
What can a white person like myself, who isn't prejudice...
..do to help you and further your cause? - Nothing.
My high school was a ghetto, right here in Boston.
I got my college education on the streets of Harlem.
I got my masters in prison over the course of 6 and a half years.
My old burglary hang out was just outside this campus.
I lived like an animal. I stole...
..I used drugs, cocaine, I committed adultery.
Had it not been for Elijah Muhammad, I'd have surely been dead.
Or possibly even the murderer of one of you.
Elijah Muhammad is trying to get us on God's side...
..so that God will be on ourside and help us.
When the negro listens to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad...
..he'll want to get off of drugs, he'll want to get away from crime.
He would want to geta job and take care of his family.
And his family would respect him and be proud of him.
Father only means that you're taking care of yourchildren.
Anybody can have a baby orgo out and geta woman...
..but not anybody can take care of that woman.
It's called responsibility.
If the so-called negro in America was an American citizen...
..we wouldn't have a racial problem.
If the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments and the decisions made...
..in the supreme court were authentic we wouldn't have a race problem.
You have to see that all of this is hypocrisy.
These negro leaders are telling the white man that everything...
..is all right, that everything Elijah Muhammad teaches is wrong.
But he said these things would come to pass and now they are.
Now these same negro leaders are saying...
..that there's about to be a racial explosion.
Yes, there's going to be a racial explosion...
..and a racial explosion is more dangerous than an atomic explosion.
There's going to be an explosion, black people are dissatisfied.
Not only with white men, but with these Uncle Tom leaders too.
They're trying to pose as our spokesmen!
If you have a powder keg with too many sparks around it...
..the thing is going to explode!
If the thing that's going to explode is inside the house...
..and if it explodes, the house is going to be destroyed.
So Elijah Muhammad is teaching you and I to tell the white man...
..to get this powder keg out ofhis house.
Let the black man have his own house, his own land...
..his own property.
Elijah Muhammad is telling the white man that this explosion...
..is going to bring down his house.
He's trying to tell him that if he doesn't do something about it...
..it's going to explode any day now.
And I'm just here to tell you...
..about the honorable Elijah Muhammad's greatest greatness.
It is that he has the only solution for peace in this country.
His solution is the only solution foryou and I.
It's the only solution forthe white man...
..complete separation between the black race and the white race.
That's the only solution.
- BrotherMalcolm! - Yes!
Hold on. Yes, sir. It's all right. My brother.
- How are you doing? - Can I ask you something? -Yes.
- Are you Elijah's pimp? - You should be killed! - Hold on!
- What are you saying? - His greatest greatness...
Justsay what you're saying.
- If you don't know, I feel the sorriest for you. - Come on!
- Let me tell you... - No, let me tell you!
Let me go! Malcolm, stop!
You've got to get out, Malcolm!
- It's all right. - Get out before it's too late!
He's just hungry for knowledge. That brother is starving.
And so am I. Let's get something to eat.
- We'll talk about it tomorrow. - Okay. Good night, Daddy.
It's been a long night!
Yeah!
- Whatare you looking at? - You. -Why?
Because you're in trouble.
- How do you know that? - Dear heart...
..I know you. - If you know me...
..you know that I don't like to bring my troubles into my house.
You know that.
- Yes, I do. - Okay.
But I'm not made of glass and I won't break.
Betty, ljust want peace.
I want to sit here with you, I want to be still.
I want peace in my house.
- Have we ever had a fight? - Never. -An argument? - Never.
- We're going to have one now if you don't talk about it. - About what?
- The talk is everywhere. - There's always talk and always will be.
They're talking now about me trying to take overthe nation...
..about how we're getting rich. Isn't that talk? - We can talk about it.
- Well, let's talk about it! - It's not justtalk anymore.
'Elijah Muhammad, 67 year old leader of the black Muslim movement...'
'..faced paternity suits from two ex- secretaries...' - They're lies!
'They charged that he fathered theirfour children.'
This is the devil's newspaper. He's trying to divide us.
'Divide and conquer.' He's trying to bring down our leader.
'Both women, in theirtwenties, charge that they had...'
'..intimacies with Mr. Elijah Muhammad.'
Do you think I'm notaware of these accusations? These vicious lies?