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Malcolm X — Part 33
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by their aloofness from the
civil-rights movement. Now
they are wondering whether
Malcolm has suddenly become
a dedicated man or “remains
a charlatan.” As one expert
put it, “He may be a Tro-
jan horse proceeding. under
the guise and protection of
Muhammad, but actually ma-
neuvering to get into the
civil-rights movement.” These
leaders are adopting a wait-
and-see attitude, They neither
condemn nor cheer the “new
Malcotm," but will wait and
study his program and his
sponsors.
As Roy Wilkins, executive
As Roy Wilkins, executiv
secretary of the N.A.A.C.P.
puts it:
whether he intends to heip
American Negro citizens in
their civil rights campaign,
or whether he really is serious
in wooing them to some kind
of a Black Nationalist sep-
arate state.”
Certainly Malcolm's attempts
to appeal to Christian as well
as Muslim Negroes, and his at-
tempt to make his temple all
things to ail black men trou-
ble many objective outsiders.
Some Chicago Muslims are
‘in his corner, It is expected
that other young Muslims in
the New York and Washington
temples will follow, as may
the disgruntled from the
NAACP. and CORE (the
Congress of Racial Equality),
as well as from the unorgan-
Tris this last, unknown quan-
tity—the masses of Negroes
who do not belong to the civil-
rights movement—that con-
cerns many thoughtful observ-
ers.
Prof. C. Eric Lincoln of
Clark College, author of the
definitive study of the Black
Muslims, Bays:
“There Is au increasing huim-
ber of Negroes who feel that.
nonviolence has run its course,
and they are disillusioned.”
Only the other day, on his
college campus in Atlanta,
eight Negro student leaders
“We do not know
=
met with an advisory group .
“of leadihg white Atlanta cit-
‘ tional
zens. The student Jeaders” told
them that what used to be a
student movement “now in-
volves the total Negra com-
munity.” And this, reflects
Professor Lincoln, includes
people who are not necessarily
committed to the philosophy
of nonviolence.
O: immense interest to ob-
servers, as Malcolm openg his
drive for recruits to his politi-
cal party, is its financing, He
has said that he will accept
money from any source, in-
cluding white people who,
however, can’t join his group,
“because when whites join an
organization, they usually out«
Join it.” There is speculation
whether Malcolm will be get-
- ting at least petty cash from
his most picturesque recruit
to the Biack Musiims, the
heavyweight champion of the
world, Cassius X (Clay). The
22 yssr-old fighter whom a
Negro reporter has dubbed
the Clown Prince of the move-
ment, is constantly in| Mal-
colm's company and expects
to live on Long Island to be
hear Malcolm's home,
Leaders of unquestioned sta-
ture in the civil-rights move-
ment are concerned not so
much-with the personality of
Malcolm X as with the condi-
tions in a community that -
make it possible for any op-
Portunist to exploit and cap-
italize them. Whitney Young,
executive director of the Na-
Urban League, ob-
serves: “As long as you have
the poverty, the poor housing,
the bitter conditions that
nourish the despair, there
will always be people around
like Malcolm X or John X or
any-
And Professor Lincoln con-
cludes: ‘The fact that Mal-
colm X believes that a Black
Nationalist party is possibie or
is needed is a reflection upon
the distance we still have to
go to make the Negro believe’
that the white man is sincere-
ly interested in having the
Negro participate equally in
the common values of this
society.” = _—_—
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