The 58th annual pilgrimage to Ferncliff Cemetery in honor of Malcolm X occurred last Friday, his 98th bornday anniversary. Although several hundred attended, it wasn’t as densely attended as pre-pandemic era figures. Several other events also took place that day to commemorate his legacy. Supporters came from the tri-state area and beyond.
“We’ve come to pay tribute to Malcolm X. There’s also a stool [set up here] dedicated to [his wife] Sister Betty,” said moderator Prof. James Small, president of Malcolm X’s Organization of Afro-American Unity [OAAU], co-sponsors of this event with the Sons of Africa. “There’s a reason we do this every year. This is a memorial for a martyr who gave his life for us. Fifty-eight years ago, we declared this as Malcolm X Day, not the government. We don’t want them to declare nothing. The OAAU and Muslim Mosque declared it 58 years ago, and that’s why we’re here today.”
Several speakers from various communities which influenced Malcolm’s spiritual growth attended, including the U.N.I.A., Nation of Islam, the Yoruba, Akon, and orthodox Islam.
“This one day out of the year, we come to pay respect to the symbol of what all of us should try to be as men and women—a dedicated [person] for the rights of human beings,” Small urged. “Read Malcolm’s works. Study him, even his mistakes, which he did out of sincerely trying to do the right thing.
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“All of us wear a piece of Malcolm X; all of us have a thought, idea, concept; that’s African culture. All of us are aspects of the greater thing, so when you pour libations, you’re calling that energy to make itself present.”
A young female pre-teen, then a young male pre-teen, spoke about what Malcolm X means to their generation.
Original OAAU member Sekou Odinga said, “I was inspired by him. I got involved in the struggle because of him, and he continues to inspire me. The best way to honor him is to learn what he was telling us to do, emulate it and carry out his work, and continue to do what he did.”
Queen Mother Dr. Rosalyn Jeffries spoke about how a life of redemption can be a great example for all. “Malcolm X gave us the formula and the way, because he once was a thug and a pimp doing evil things,” she said. “We have the mission to find those types of people and show them the formula.”
Her husband, African warrior scholar Dr. Leonard Jeffries, concluding this portion of the ceremony with accolades for “our Black shining prince who dedicated his life so we could live better futures.”
Upon returning to Harlem, participants joined the December 12th Movement’s 33rd annual “Malcolm X Black Power Shut ’em Down” economic boycott of the businesses along 125th Street from 1–4 p.m. Later that evening, film director Spike Lee was the keynote speaker at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center, reflecting on the 30th anniversary of his movie about the human rights activist.