Celebrating the Malcolm X centenary

16 May 2025

19 May-16 June 2025

1. Malcolm X: leader, visionary, revolutionary

I was first introduced to Malcolm X, leader, visionary, skilled orator by my father at a very young age. A father who instilled in all his children the importance of Black pride, self-determination and the skills to survive the challenges and barriers he knew we would face growing up Black in Britain.

Malcolm X not only fought for racial justice without fear or compromise, but he also led with compassion and determination and dared to speak truth to corrupt power. To this day, Malcolm X is still considered one of the most powerful and influential leaders of recent times.

In recognition and celebration of what would have been Malcolm X's centenary year--on Monday 19 May 2025, UCU will be honouring his memory and legacy over a four-week period with a series of inspirational quotations, speeches, recommended readings, audio and visual materials plus personal contributions from UCU members.

Maxine Looby
UCU president

2. 'Education is the passport to the future'

'Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today' - Malcolm X

UCU prison educators undertake one of the most challenging teaching roles in post-16 education. Their unwavering drive, belief, and commitment to transforming lives through rehabilitation and education in the most demanding environments is truly commendable.

The re-education of Malcolm X: from incarceration to education

Malcolm X's journey from incarceration to re-education mirrors the struggles faced by Black men in this country today. But despite societal, structural, and institutional barriers—such as racism, discrimination, and racial profiling—Malcolm overcame these obstacles to become a powerful advocate for Black empowerment. These barriers, barriers Malcolm was up against over eighty years ago, unfortunately, still remain prevalent today, highlighting the ongoing need for dedicated prison educators committed to rehabilitation and reform.

The early years

Malcolm X was an ambitious and bright student. However, his dream of becoming a lawyer was shattered when a teacher advised him to set his academic aspirations lower—in line with societal expectations of young Black boys—and become a carpenter.

As Malcolm entered adulthood, trying to navigate the world as a young Black man, he took several wrong turns and found himself at the mercy of a harsh and brutal penal system. He was subsequently incarcerated for over eight years for a series of petty crimes.

The prison years and beyond

While in prison, Malcolm X embarked on a profound journey of self-discovery. He utilised his time to re-educate himself, uncover his true purpose, and commit to leading on an agenda of self-empowerment and Black pride.

After serving his time, Malcolm X used the knowledge and skills he acquired in prison to become one of the most influential leaders of our time.

UCU voices on Malcolm X

Prison education: expression, resistance, resilience—a view from the inside

Anna Khan, Black prison educator

For our recent art lesson with students in prison, I introduced Malcolm X by sharing his life story, focusing on his journey of transformation, resilience, and advocacy for justice.

We explored his powerful words and discussed how his experiences related to themes of self-empowerment and change. Together, we created posters featuring some of Malcolm X's most impactful quotes, allowing students to express their interpretations through art. Members gave thoughtful feedback, expressing that the lesson was inspiring and relevant to their own lives.

They highlighted the importance of learning about figures like Malcolm X, noting that his story and words encouraged reflection, hope, and the belief in personal growth and positive change.

The artwork produced by inmates highlights their creativity, resilience, and determination to rise above their circumstances and achieve more. You can view the artwork here.

Malcolm X

UCU Black prison educator

Malcolm X strongly believed in the transformative power of prison education and used his time in prison to educate himself extensively, finding it a crucial part of his development.

He saw education as a key to self-improvement and achieving success, and his experience in prison solidified this belief. He actively pursued learning through reading, correspondence courses, and even Latin lessons, demonstrating a dedication to expanding his knowledge base.

Self-improvement

Malcolm X viewed education as a means to uplift himself and others within the Black community. He believed that learning could empower individuals to overcome the challenges they face in America.

Prison as a learning ground

Despite the negative aspects of prison, Malcolm X found his incarceration to be a valuable opportunity for intellectual growth. He utilised the prison library and correspondence courses to educate himself in areas that he previously lacked knowledge in.

Active pursuit of knowledge

He wasn't passively waiting for his time in prison to end; he actively sought out educational opportunities. He read extensively, expanded his vocabulary by hand- copying a dictionary, and even took Latin lessons.

Impact on future ministry

His education in prison played a significant role in his development as a speaker and leader within the Nation of Islam. He used his enhanced knowledge and communication skills to deliver powerful speeches and articulate his beliefs.

Black Lives Still Matter

Leading from the front: a Black prison educator's experience of barriers to progression in prison education

With over 10 years' experience of working in both female and male establishments I can see at firsthand the value of prison education as part of the rehabilitation process.

Prison education plays an integral part in providing lifelong learning as well as purposeful activity where some are locked up for 23 hours a day.

Though the curriculum delivers core subjects like English and Maths, construction and mentoring, I feel that the curriculum is lacking in celebrating Black history and LGBT+ history outside of the months they relate to.

I also feel that the training in place does not do enough to provide most teachers with the skills to teach or bring awareness in these areas rather than in a tokenistic way.

I have seen directly that if your face does not fit or your values do not align to that of management, opportunities like promotion will not be forthcoming and discrimination is heightened.

In my opinion, left unchallenged, we will see fewer people of colour staying in a job that is underpaid while being treated unfairly. The curriculum is insulting to say the least.

With that said, I have had the pleasure of seeing hundreds of success stories of the years and this is very rewarding.

The structure of prison education I strongly believe needs to change so that learners are gaining meaningful qualifications that they can use to secure employment on release. HM Prison and Probation Service put in place interventions as part of prisoners' sentence plan to tackle their offending behaviour as well as mental health issues, and managers recognise that harnessing staff wellbeing will see all-round improvement in job satisfaction and retention.

3. Leading by example: 'by any means necessary'

'We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be given the rights of a human being, to be respected as a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring in to existence. By any means necessary' - Malcolm X

Malcolm X's leadership and influence reached far and wide, inspiring countless individuals, communities, and global movements.

His message of 'by any means necessary' resonated deeply with many, including activists and freedom fighters.

Ekau Agha, a prison educator and researcher at Pentonville prison, reflects on Malcolm X's connection with Yuri Kochiyama.

Malcolm X's ability to influence and inspire is testament to his leadership, engagement, and connection across diverse communities. He viewed freedom and self-determination through an intersectional lens.

One such person influenced by Malcolm X is Yuri Kochiyama, an Asian-American community activist. The comradeship and shared solidarity Malcolm built with Yuri, who was deeply involved in the Black-led freedom movement at the time, speaks volumes to Malcolm's leadership and his ability to see the fight for freedom with compassion, understanding and through an intersectional lens. You can read about Malcolm and Yuri's shared vision here.

X: the play

Malcolm X's influence extended far beyond political activism, reaching into the realms of the arts with his influence on playwrights, musicians, artists and wider popular culture.

Peter Nazareth's play X, featured in the BBC African Theatre series in 1965, is a testament to Malcolm X's enduring legacy. This play highlights his profound impact on postcolonial African literature and the broader cultural landscape.

The play is linked to Pio Gama: the Indian activist who became a Kenyan freedom fighter. You can read more about Pio Gama here.

4. The assassination: 'I have no fear whatsoever...'

Malcolm X's demand for racial justice was uncompromising. Constantly monitored and surveilled by the FBI, CIA and the New York Police Department, he was all too aware he was a marked man.

Despite the threats to his life--including the firebombing of his home and the burning of a cross on his lawn (a well-known Ku Klux Klan trademark)--he remained steadfast and refused to sell out.

Sadly, while giving a speech at the Audubon ballroom in New York in 1965, he was assassinated. Malcolm X was shot twenty-one times in front of his wife and three of his daughters.

Shortly before he was assassinated, he made the following statement to press: 'Right now, no I don't worry. I'll tell you. I'm a man who believed that I died 20 years ago, and I live like a man dead already'.

In 2024, three of Malcolm X's daughters filed a $100 million lawsuit accusing the CIA, FBI, and the New York Police Department of conspiring to have him murdered.