May 19 marked the centennial birthday of civil rights crusader Malcolm X. While his family was afforded just 39 years with him, his impact reverberates globally more than 100 years after his birth. For those lamenting the direction of the nation, fearing proposed cuts to Medicaid, federal job cuts, and the elimination of efforts to advance equity, Malcolm X’s life and legacy have much to offer.
If there is one lesson I have gleaned from Malcolm X, it is the importance of seeing oneself as a forever student. Malcolm X was a voracious reader. Though he left school after the 8th grade, he never stopped learning. He was always on a path of exploration, understanding and reformation. Whether we find ourselves on a college campus, in an unemployment line or in a career exceeding our wildest dreams, we should never surrender our hunger for self-directed learning.
This is the reason I carry a backpack. I have been carrying a backpack since grade school. I never know when the teacher will appear or when the classroom will materialize, but I aspire to mirror Malcolm’s passion for reading and hunger for learning.
The other lesson I’ve gleaned from Malcolm X and many of his contemporaries is around humility. Many of the famed Civil Rights leaders of the 1950s and 1960s did not live long enough to see others celebrate their brilliance. Instead, they were maligned, despised, and in many cases, hunted. They persisted in the struggle for racial justice because it mattered, not because it would garner applause. They didn’t seek, nor did they need, the approval of external audiences. May we ever be of their ilk.
I have been fortunate to win multiple accolades and awards over the past twenty years. Most recently, the Ballard Center at Brigham Young University recognized me as “Social Innovator of the Year.” I was also recently featured in Baltimore Still Rising, a documentary film about the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. As humbling as these experiences have been, the applause feels premature: I’m still in class. I’ve not experienced the best of what God has placed in me with respect to serving people through food, health and power-building.
Additionally, Malcolm X’s life reminds me that where we start isn’t always indicative of what we’re capable of accomplishing. Discouraged in grade school by white educators, Malcolm X dropped out of school but became one of the nation’s most prolific and inspiring orators. Although he spent time in prison, he eventually joined the Nation of Islam, transformed his life and became a foremost champion for Black pride, Black self-determination, and Black unity. He accomplished more in 39 years than most do in a lifetime.
Finally, Malcolm reminds us that roses can indeed spring from concrete. Those who would dare to achieve great things should not wait until the water is still; troubled waters bring healing as well.
For instance, my organization, the Black Church Food Security Network, was born out of pain and agony. Although for months, I’d had a garden in the front yard of the church that I then pastored, my work really took shape during the Uprising in the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray on April 19, 2015. After we lost Freddie Gray, the pain of Black Baltimore spilled out into the street. Our fledging garden was our calling card; in that moment, it became the answer to many people’s prayers.
At different points during the Uprising, corner stores and schools were closed, public transportation was halted, and children who relied on school lunch were desperate. The church fielded calls from community members looking for food and help. I called the farmers that I was in relationship with requesting food and accepted donations from the public as well.
After harvesting and collecting donations, I drove our church van around and served the community by offering food and water. We delivered food even as marches and demonstrations blanketed the city.
Certainly, I was not alone. The response represented a coordinated effort between Black farmers, Black churches and people who had deep concern for the wellbeing of the community. We rolled up our sleeves and did the work. I believe this is the sort of self-determination and communal reliance that Malcolm X advocated.
As is so often the case with grassroots organizations, we didn’t have grants or government funding to bolster us in the beginning. Had we waited until we were recognized by funders or government agencies, some in our community might have starved. Had we waited for the demonstrations to quell, perhaps our work would never have materialized. The water was troubled and we decided to jump in.
Today, we know that our work is dignifying. Our work is not to feed the needy; it is to organize the hungry. We believe that if we organize the hungry, they will eventually be in a place to feed themselves. That is also Malcolm’s legacy.
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III, is the executive director of the Black Church Food Security Network.
SEE ALSO:
Malcolm X’s Spiritual Shift: From The Nation Of Islam To Sunni Faith