Remembering Malcolm X

Forty-eight years ago today, America lost one of it's strongest voices for civil rights with the death of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X. He was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout his childhood, Malcolm's family would relocate to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and later to Lansing, Michigan. After the death of his father, Malcolm's mother was institutionalized when Malcolm was just thirteen. Due to the difficult circumstances involving his mother and father, Malcolm was sent to live in a number of different foster homes during his formative years. He was an excellent student with a brilliant mind, but dropped out of school after a white teacher told Malcolm that becoming a lawyer was "no realistic goal for a nigger." Malcolm soon came to believe that American society in the 1930's and 1940's offered no real possibilities for a young black man like himself. As a result, Malcolm moved to Boston, and then Harlem where he became involved in a life of crime that included drug dealing, gambling, and robbery. Due to his involvement in these activities, Malcolm was sentenced to eight to ten years in the Charlestown State Prison. It was during his time in prison that Malcolm was introduced to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm rose quickly through the ranks of the Nation, and was named a national minister for the organization. During his time as a minister for the Nation of Islam, Malcolm was seen as a controversial figure due to his outspoken nature and his message of black separatism. One of Malcolm's more controversial remarks surrounded the assassination of President Kennedy when Malcolm said that Kennedy's death was like the "chickens coming home to roost." For these remarks, Malcolm was silenced for ninety days by the Nation of Islam. During his silencing, Malcolm was not allowed to make any comments to the press or make any speeches at the Nation's temples. In 1964, after a falling-out with Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, Malcolm broke all ties with the organization. It was in this same year that Malcolm made his Hajj (pilgrimage) to the holy city of Mecca. Malcolm's pilgrimage was truly a transformational moment for him. His views toward race relations in America changed forever when he noticed blond-haired blue-eyed Muslims interacting as equals with black-skinned African Muslims like himself. Malcolm truly believed that if it could work in Mecca, why not in the United States? Malcolm spent much of the rest of 1964 traveling the world spreading his message. Upon his return to the United States, Malcolm formed the Muslim Mosque Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity to promote a more racially harmonious message. The one and only meeting between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. occurred in 1964 as well. The two civil rights icons briefly encountered one another outside of the U.S. Senate after listening to debates on the historic civil rights bill. Malcolm's life came to a tragic end on February 21st, 1965. As Malcolm took to the podium in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, New York to address a meeting of the Organization of Afro-American Unity, shots rang out killing the famed civil rights leader almost instantly. As we honor and celebrate the achievements of many African-Americans during Black History Month, may we never forget the lasting contributions of the one whom many refer to as one of the greatest and most influential African-Americans in United States history.

The Five Greatest?

Since President's Day is right around the corner, I thought I would share with you my list of the top five presidents in United States history. While every president is unique in their own right, I feel that these men have set themselves apart as the best to ever occupy the oval office.

#5  Harry S. Truman: Often referred to as the accidental president, Truman initially assumed the office in April of 1945 after the death of the seemingly immortal Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Truman came from very modest beginnings. Harry Truman had tried his hand at farming, but had little luck. With the country on the verge of the Great Depression, his haberdashery business went under as well. With the help of Kansas City political boss Tom Pendergast, Harry was elected as a judge for eastern Jackson County. From there, Truman went on to win election to the United States Senate in 1934, representing Missouri for ten years until FDR asked Truman to join him on the Democratic ticket in time for the 1944 presidential election. Harry Truman served as vice-president for only 82 days before becoming president of the United States at one of the most trying times in U.S. history. Harry Truman's presidency was marked by one major decision after another. From the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to the desegregation of the armed forces, to the recognition of Israel, to the sending of troops into Korea, to the firing of Douglas MacArthur, President Truman no doubt showed the world that the buck did indeed stop with him.

#4  Theodore Roosevelt: The president who spoke softly and carried a big stick will always be remembered as one of America's greatest. Teddy, as he came to be known, entered the presidency in 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley. Roosevelt quickly began to push an agenda that focused on progressivism, conservation, and a number of other key issues. It was Theodore Roosevelt who was the force behind the completion of the Panama Canal which helped to revolutionize trade around the world. Due to his desire to place tighter restrictions on businesses, Teddy came to be known as the "trust buster." In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt was at odds with his friend and president at the time, William Howard Taft. The disagreements that Roosevelt had with Taft led Teddy to form the Bull Moose Party in 1912. Roosevelt ran as that party's candidate for the presidency, but ultimately lost out to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Given Theodore Roosevelt's great intellect and intuition, it should come as no surprise that the former rough rider was able to ride his way to the top as one of America's greatest presidents.

#3  Thomas Jefferson: As one of America's "Founding Fathers," Thomas Jefferson might well be remembered more for the things he accomplished before and after his presidency than during it. While serving as a delegate from the colony of Virginia during the Second Continental Congress, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. Known for his writing skills, Jefferson was asked to write the document that would forever change the course of history. Due to the fact that he hadn't seen his wife in months, Thomas Jefferson initially declined the offer to draft the document, but would later relent after being pressured by his future political rival John Adams. Speaking of Adams and the political rivalry that existed between the two, it was John Adams whom Jefferson defeated to win the White House in 1800. Shortly after his election, Jefferson negotiated the purchase of the Louisiana territory in 1803. Many thought Jefferson a fool to spend fifteen million on the land, but a statistical analysis would later prove that the purchase was a magnificent deal for the United States. When all was said and done, The United States spent approximately five cents per acre on the land, while nearly doubling the size of our country. The following year, Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark out to explore the newly purchased land in what came to be known as the Lewis and Clark expedition. Following his presidency, Thomas Jefferson would go on to found the University of Virginia. The one major blot on Jefferson's personal life was the fact that he just couldn't break with the institution of slavery. It has long been speculated that Jefferson even fathered a child, and possibly children with his slave Sally Hemings. While Thomas Jefferson will go down in history as one of America's greatest statesmen, the same can also be said for Jefferson and the presidency.

# 2  Franklin D. Roosevelt: Perhaps it can be said that greatness runs in the Roosevelt family. The cousin of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin remains one of America's most loved, admired, and respected presidents. FDR swept into office in 1933 promising Americans a "New Deal." The American people were more than ready for a change after the failed policies of Herbert Hoover helped push The United States into the Great Depression. Roosevelt offered the American people hope with the creation of programs such as the Works Progress Administration, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. These programs helped put Americans back to work, and helped to   kick-start a decimated economy. Franklin Roosevelt will also be remembered fondly for helping to implement the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Social Security, both of which still exist today. On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese attacked U.S. air and naval forces at Pearl Harbor. Roosevelt referred to the attack as a "date which will live in infamy." The following day, the president asked for and received a declaration of war against Japan. After suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, Franklin Roosevelt passed away on April 12, 1945 at his presidential retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia. Roosevelt's ability to overcome not only personal, but political challenges as well would help to explain why he consistently appears near the top of most historians presidential rankings.

# 1  Abraham Lincoln:  Like most historians, "Honest Abe" tops my list of the greatest presidents as well. I think it is safe to say that the United States of America as we know it would not exist had it not been for the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. No president, in my view, faced greater challenges while in office than Lincoln. Not only was Lincoln struggling with depression and the loss of his children, he also had to hold together a country that was ready to split apart at the seams. Abraham Lincoln handled the task marvelously. One of his more brilliant moves during the Civil War was the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Brilliant because the proclamation helped to turn the tide of the war in favor of the Union. While the Union army's victory at Gettysburg was crucial to the war's final outcome, I would argue that the freeing of slaves in southern states was more so because many of these slaves fled the south, joined the ranks of the Union Army, and gave the north greater numbers in their fight against the Confederacy. Given the fact that the country was so divided by civil war during Lincoln's administration, it comes as no surprise that his demise came at the hands of a southern sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth. The fact that Lincoln's words are still quoted by presidents today, his actions are still revered by so many, and his legacy will live on forever are solid proof that Lincoln deserves to stand alone as perhaps the greatest president ever.