Malcolm X’s Caribbean Connection And The Influence It Had On Him

Photos: Twitter

Given the latest white supremacist domestic terrorist massacre here in the U.S. along with a Republican Party that is wallowing in the toxic “great replacement theory” that encouraged it, it’s important to acknowledge that white supremacy is foundational to this nation. We must also be aware that many voices have been raised against it over the decades. One of the most powerful was that of the man we know as Malcolm X, or later as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. He was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, to an immigrant mom from Grenada, Louise (née Norton) and Earl Little, from Georgia.

Surprised to see Malcolm X in this series? I think it’s important to discuss how his Caribbean heritage influenced the proud and powerful Black American man he would become.

Caribbean Matters is a weekly series from Daily Kos. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean.

There are virulently xenophobic Black American groups like ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) and FBA (Foundational Black Americans) currently spewing anti-immigrant, anti-African, and anti-Caribbean vitriol—fronting for the white supremacist cheerleaders and funders behind them—and spreading disinformation. Members of ADOS and FBA constantly attempt to gatekeep “Blackness” here in the United States.

In the face of their nonsense, it is doubly important to point out that Minister Malcolm was a figure who illustrated the intersections and connections between Black folks of the diaspora rather than promoting division.

Recently, historians have been delving more into Malcolm’s early life and the contributions his mother and father made within the Marcus Garvey movement. Read more.