MX100: Why Malcolm, Why Today?

In celebration of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)’s 100th birthday and the 60th anniversary of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, this group will come together to reread the autobiography. Since its publication, The Autobiography has been the subject of both book bans and book clubs, revered as a spiritual guide on self-transformation and considered a foundational text of the Black Power era. Scholars of Islam in America, the Black radical tradition, American religious history, and feminist thought have produced a significant body of literature examining Malcolm’s intellectual legacy and its continued impact on American culture, Black liberation movements, decolonial thought, and the nature of being human. Reading a few chapters at a time, with discussions driven by group interest, we will explore Malcolm’s blending of the religious, political, and philosophical, as well as his views on Islam, humanity, American culture, Black organizing, and U.S. race politics. Ultimately, we gather to ask: Why Malcolm, and why today? Everyone is welcome to join. Meetings will take place between November 2024 and Malcolm’s birthday on May 19, 2025.

Please email iman.abdoulkarim@yale.edu for information on meeting times and location.

MX100 is also supported by the Muslim Leadership Lab and Dwight Hall.