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The Indiana Daily Student

Malcolm X's Daughter speaks on his legacy

cashabazz

Fifty-one years and one day after the assassination of Malcolm X, his third daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, addressed a new generation of activists.

Shabazz spoke Friday night in Alumni Hall to an audience of more than 200 people.

Her speech was part of the Indiana Memorial Union Board’s Black History Month event, “By Any Means: Commemorating the Legacy of Malcolm X.”

The event began with a cello rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a song often referred to as the black national anthem. An IU senior then recited a spoken word poem titled “By Any Means” that referenced the death of Tamir Rice and the importance of knowledge, love and generosity in combatting prejudice.

Before Shabazz spoke, IU’s popular music ensemble Soul Revue performed what Director Tyron Cooper called “a little music for the movement.” Their performance ended with an echoing chorus of the words, “my black body.”

Shabazz began her speech by praising the 
students.

“I want to acknowledge all of you young performers,” Shabazz said. “It’s not what I expected in 
Indiana.”

The audience laughed.

Shabazz is a social activist, motivational speaker and author. She accompanied President Bill Clinton to South Africa and worked as an advising scholar for the PBS documentary “Prince Among Slaves.”

Today, she works as an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.

“We wanted a speaker who would educate those who are unaware of Malcolm X’s legacy,” said freshman Brelon Davis, one on the primary organizers of the event. “We wanted to connect current and past fights for equality.”

Shabazz emphasized the importance of individually committing to fighting inequality.

“Each of us has an obligation to stand up and change society,” 
Shabazz said.

Shabazz discussed the writings of other black activists like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Michelle Alexander who emphasize the lingering effects of racism and slavery.

“Not much has changed, young people, since the assassination of my father,” Shabazz said.

What has changed is the advent of social media and smartphones, which allow people to network and document injustice.

She said that, like Malcolm X, young people have unique opportunities to build a legacy of their own.

“Each of us has a purpose and a power,” 
Shabazz said.

She said her role as Malcolm X’s daughter taught her to be proud to be of the African diaspora, to be proud to be a woman and to be proud to be Muslim.

Shabazz said many people who don’t understand her father have misconceptions about her 
upbringing.

They’re surprised she grew up watching Soul Train and the Brady Bunch, and they’re surprised she went to prep school.

When Shabazz started college, her university’s black student union assumed she would want to serve as chairperson.

She said they expected her to have the same fiery passion as her father, but she wasn’t ready for that position. She honored her father’s memory in a different way.

She ended the speech with a piece of advice that echoed the sentiments her father championed.

“Own your power.”

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