Harlem was the center of much activity celebrating Malcolm X’s 100th birthday during the “Live on Lenox-X Marks the Spot” events on Monday. In the community where the Black liberation leader centered much of his work, several artists and performers gave tribute to Malcolm with music, poetry, and more..
The production was a collaboration between Aquastra Media Productions, Arts and Education Continuum, Social Studies 101, I’d Watch That, Welcome to Harlem, Harlem Jazz Box, Marcus Meets Malcolm, and the Harlem Bomb Shelter.
In the early afternoon, the December 12th organization conducted their 35th annual protest on 125th against any businesses that opted not to close in observance of Malcolm X’s birthday. More than 100 protestors rallied peacefully in front of the Chick-fil-A between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Blvd. before making their way up and down the street. Chairperson Omowale Clay said that more than 90% of the stores on the street had been closed from 1 to 4 p.m., including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and H&M. At a rally in front of the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, he vowed that they would continue to apply pressure on the restaurant for choosing not to close.
Jason Ponterotto photos
Trinidadian drummer Sanga of the Valley performing with his djembe drum and birimbau for students at South Bronx Early College Academy Charter Middle School at 120th Street and Lenox., May 19, 2025. 
Poet Nathan Miller performing a piece with jazz musicians during an open mic session at 116th Street and Lenox, May 19, 2025. 
Saxophonist Jay Rodriguez performing with Will Succeed The Artist on 125th Street and Lenox, May 19, 2025.
On May 15, the group, based in Brooklyn, worked with City Council leaders, including Althea Stevens in the Bronx and Yusef Salaam in Harlem, to celebrate the centennial and legacy by establishing the first Malcolm X Day in City Hall. Conversely, Clay said they experienced additional hurdles this year in carrying out their annual protest — they were initially told they could not have bullhorns or sound, but they were able to get that reversed.
Throughout the day, Harlemites and other community members could be seen walking around wearing shirts with Malcolm X’s face or images of similar Black freedom figures.
Lenox was officially co-named Malcolm X Boulevard in 1987, where he delivered various speeches. This year’s performances on the avenue kicked off with storytelling and music with Trinidadian drummer Sanga of the Valley at 120th Street, a dance show from the performing arts students at the South Bronx Early College Academy Charter Middle School, an African dance class with Rev. Nafissa Sheriff, and a drummer’s circle between 120th and 119th Streets.
Several poetry performances took place, featuring artists with the Harlem Bomb Shelter and others. The group presented open mic slam poetry at the corners of 116th, 120th, and 125th Streets, accompanied by jazz musicians from the Malcolm Megaphones, a music project created by artist Carrie Mae Weems.
Poets E’Lee James and Seyisayo Iuko, both with the Bomb Shelter, performed pieces about childhood trauma and Black culture. Iuko, who is from Nigeria, said the opportunity to perform on Lenox for Malcolm X was an honor. “For me, it was very Harlem … walking past and hearing people spitting poems, people dancing,” Iuko said. “I remember growing up, I used to watch things happening in Harlem and want to be there, and so being folded into that history is such a privilege.”
The festivities on Lenox concluded at Mount Olivet Baptist Church with the Requiem for Malcolm concert, starring trombonist Craig Harris and the Nation of Imagination band, with poetry by Sista Zock, The Artist Anubis, and Ngoma Hill, and a “Memories of Malcolm” tribute from singer and activist Nana Camille Yarbourough.
Further uptown at the former Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm was assassinated, the Birthday Celebration event from the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Center featured various figures in social justice activism and other celebrities in attendance, including Lauryn Hill, Rev. Al Sharpton, Benjamin Crump, and Kyrie Irving.
One of the awardees, Professor Ernest Crim III, has carved a path on social media by teaching about Black history in connection with the ongoing attacks on the community and other marginalized groups. Calling Malcolm X the most important historical figure in his life, Crim referred to the ceremony as a “wonderful celebration of the African experience.”
“It made me feel at home … at one with our ancestors,” Crim said. “It made me want to continue to do whatever I can to uplift his work and make sure that our kids don’t forget who he is.”
Crim, formerly a classroom educator, began posting history teaching videos on social media as a better way to reach his students, whom he found were distracted. In this period where young Black people are susceptible to misinformation, Crim said, it is important to reach them in whatever way possible.
“We have to go wherever we are, whether that be on the street corners, subways, buses — wherever we can pass that knowledge, that’s where we need to be,” Crim told the Amsterdam News.