A True Leading Revolutionary; Malcolm X Day

A True Leading Revolutionary; Malcolm X

As a child growing up in the Virgin Islands, I was taught to have a lot of pride; self-pride, female pride, island pride, and most of all black pride. I grew up with a slew of books in my room (house) all dedicated to educational aspects, inspirational leaders, and leading innovators around the world. One the walls in our living room hung only one family portrait, the rest where pictures of leaders who have paved our way with their life’s work and their lives; Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Malcolm X. As an adult now, I’ve held the same ideals near and become overly excited to convey all that I’ve learned to others. I also have pictures of my favorite inspirational revolutionaries on my walls at home and while some of the faces have changed, the theme is still the same.

“A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything”- Malcolm X

Many of the children of the Virgin Islands are also raised with similar values, norms, and ideals. It’s displayed in the way that they choose to promote culture through music, hair and clothing trends and even traditional events like Carnival. But there should be more to our culture than those things, there is much more we are responsible for with regards to preparing our children for their futures. Our ideals have been distorted to fit the views of a few ignorant minds. Norms and values are being discarded for attention and popularity. If we cannot teach our children what they do today affects everyone’s tomorrow how can they be expected to grow, participate and strive to make a better community/society for them as we once did.

“Stumbling is not falling”- Malcolm X

Malcom X is a great example to lead the young men in our society. He was a black man, who wasn’t afraid or ashamed to admit when he was wrong. He continued to strive for education and for the betterment of the human race despite what others said of him. He is a role model and the epitome of what many of our youths strive to be, a conscious member of their society.

“Without education you’re not going anywhere in this world”- Malcolm X

Throughout this post I’ve included some of my favorite quotes from Malcolm X, as I have shared with you please share with others, we’ll never know who these words may resonate with most.  

“Do not be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn’t so what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know today”
“A race of people is like and individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself”
“I am not a racist. I am against every from of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings such be respected as such, regardless of their color”