by Carl McRoy
It’s been 100 years!
The man born as Malcolm Little, but who died as El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, and is best known as Malcolm X, would have been 100 years old on May 19, 2025. Malcolm remains one of the most recognizable American figures around the world. International artists paint murals of his likeness from Villa Crespo, Argentina, to Birmingham, England, to Nairobi, Kenya, and beyond.
But where was the fanfare?
Washington, DC: “A Commemoration of His Life and Legacy” was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). The May 16 event involved live music and thoughtful dialogue. On May 17, the NMAAHC hosted “Storytime” with Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz (one of Malcolm X’s daughters), in which she gave a public reading of her book Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X.
New York City: On Monday, May 19, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), hosted a memorial at the NAN House of Justice located near Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem. In attendance were relatives of Malcolm X, and Attorney Ben Crump, who made a call to action for government files on Malcolm to be released. Later that night, the Shabazz family and guests gathered at The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center on Broadway. The Shabazz Center website has several more “Malcolm 100” events on the calendar, such as the “Marathon Community Reading” of his autobiography.
Omaha, Nebraska: Omaha was Malcolm’s birthplace and the city honors him with an official historical marker. Quite an improvement from when the Klan harassed the Little family until they fled to another state. In 2024, Malcolm X was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. The Nebraska Legislature also passed a law recognizing May 19 as a day for teaching about his “contributions to the betterment of society.” The Malcolm X Memorial Foundation of Omaha was once again favored with a visit from Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz on May 15, 2025. As with the Shabazz Center, there are more events on the calendar in Omaha.
What’s the meaning 60 years later?
Unfortunately, Malcolm X died at age 39, on February 21, 1965. As I reflect on the coverage of his legacy this 60th year since his death, most of the focus is on his personal transformation; his elevation of self-esteem among Black people; his expansion of the American civil rights struggle to an international human rights struggle; and his “by any means necessary” approach to achieving justice. These are essential to review, but what I don’t hear as much about is the role of his faith in agitating such death-defying activism.
Some may shy away from that aspect of his life because of their secular orientation. Many Christians refrain from commenting because he converted to Islam. However, I appreciate some of the common ground between his faith and mine.
His faith and mine
Malcolm was acquainted with my faith through his mother. Louise (Norton) Langdon was born in Grenada to parents with Nigerian roots. She connected with Malcolm’s father, Earl Little, when both of them were active in Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Montreal, Canada. While she struggled to hold the family together in the aftermath of Earl’s apparent murder, Mrs. Little started studying with Seventh-day Adventists. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, chapter one, Malcolm said 99% of them were white and believed we’re living “at the end of time.” He went on to say that although their food lacked seasoning, “they were the friendliest white people I had ever seen.”
Let’s see how some of Malcolm’s teachings resembled Adventist tenets. But first, let’s set the record straight on a couple of his observations: 1) there are lots of Black Adventists too, and 2) lots of us know how to season our food!
Health and holiness
If we limit our view to a political lens, we lose much of what motivated Malcolm. But since Adventists are concerned with wholistic health, Malcolm’s health emphasis resonates with me. With over 2,000 hospitals, clinics and orphanages, Adventists are one of the largest Christian healthcare providers in the world and are one of the longest living people groups on the planet. When Malcolm talked about building up Black communities, the vision was more than just throwing off oppression from the outside. It was also about how to care for ourselves from the inside out in a way that recognizes the bond between the physical and spiritual components of life.
Of course, he rebuked “gut-eaters” for continuing to eat chittlins, such as in his “Message to the Grassroots” speech in 1963. Malcolm also exhorted “the American so-called Negroes” to “stop carrying guns and knives to harm each other, stop drinking whiskey, taking dope, reefers, and even cigarettes. No more gambling! Save your money. Stop fornication, adultery and prostitution.” He said if we do those things and “elevate the black woman; respect her and protect her,” then we have assurance that “God will be with us to protect and guide us” (speech at the Harlem Freedom Rally, 1960).
Announcing the Judgment Hour
Malcolm X preached, “The hour of judgement and doom is upon White America for the evil seeds of slavery and hypocrisy she has sown.” He told his audience to search the Christian scriptures themselves, because “According to the Christian Bible, Judgment Day is that final hour when God will cause ‘those who led others into captivity to go into captivity themselves’…and ‘those who killed others with the sword to be killed by the sword of justice themselves.’ Justice only means that the wicked slave master must reap the fruit (or harvest) of the evil seeds of slavery he has planted” (“Judgment of White America,” 1963).
Adventists do a lot of study and proclamation of Daniel and Revelation. There’s special emphasis on Revelation chapters 12-14 and 18. These chapters forewarn judgment against Babylon and various beasts that represent oppressive world powers. Many early Adventist commentators foreshadowed themes found in Malcolm’s messages (although drawing different conclusions). Back in the 1800s, they likened the United States to a beast in Revelation 13 that portrays itself like a lamb, but growls like a dragon. One of them published a poem about it. Here’s just a few lines from Uriah Smith’s 35,000- word jeremiad:
“Lamb-like in form, is there no dragon-voice
Heard in our land? no notes that harshly grate
Upon the ear of mercy, love and truth? . . .
“And thou hast set a foul and heinous blot
Upon the sacred page of liberty;
And whilst thou traffickest in souls of men,
Thou hurl’st defiance, proud, in face of Heaven
Soon to be answered with avenging doom.”
Jesus Identifies with the Oppressed
Malcolm X echoes Adventist teaching on Jesus’ identity with, and ministry to, the poor and suffering. As a Muslim, he believed Jesus was a prophet. As Christians, we believe Jesus to be the Son of God. However, we both see him as an advocate for the oppressed.
In 1962, Malcolm gave a speech in Los Angeles to address police brutality and expressed his faith that “if Jesus were here in America today. . . He would be going to the oppressed. He would be going to the humble. He would be going to the lowly. He would be going to the rejected and the despised. He would be going to the so-called American negro.”
That sentiment closely resembles the view of one of our denominational founders, Ellen G. White. In 1901 she rebuked ministers for raising money for expensive pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Instead, she advised, “Would you trace the footsteps of Christ, behold Him in that hovel, ministering to the poor; see Him at that sick bed, comforting the suffering, and speaking hope and courage to the desponding” (Review and Herald, July 30, 1901).
If We Know Better, Let’s Do Better
Even though there’s a chasm between Christianity and Islam, there are important areas of convergence between Malcolm’s faith and mine. For Christians who are reluctant to accept that view because his view of Jesus wasn’t up to our profession, then let’s make sure we practice what we preach. Since Christians have a higher claim of who Jesus is, then we should hold ourselves to a higher ideal of service to him.
If we believe the Word became flesh in order to live up close and personal to God’s image bearers, then that’s how we must show up. Bring wholistic health to those who need it most, instead of playing favorites to favored classes who can offer favors back to us. Minister in practical ways to those considered lowly in this world, but raise their concerns to the highest levels possible, by every means necessary. Remember that lifting the downtrodden aligns us on God’s side, but failure to do so brings divine judgment against ourselves (Matthew 25:31-46).