When it comes to iconic voices in Black history, few resonate louderโor hit harderโthan Malcolm X. Born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, the civil rights legend wouldโve turned 100 this year, but his words remain as sharp, fearless, and relevant as ever.
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Whether he was schooling folks on the power of education, warning us about the mediaโs manipulation tactics, or making it plain that freedom ainโt really free, the highly respected yet sometimes โcontroversialโ leader always knew how to deliver a message that stuck.
So in honor of his centennial birthday, weโre highlighting some of his most unforgettable quotes from all those years ago in the hopes that weโll never forget how much Malcolm was truly a voice for the ages. Keep reading to get into these gems that continue to inspire, agitate, and motivate!
Malcolm X, 1965

โIโm for truth, no matter who tells it. Iโm for justice, no matter who it is for or against.โ- Malcolm X, 1965
Malcolm X, 1964

โA man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.โ- Malcolm X, 1964
Malcolm X, 1964

โWe declare our right on this earth to be a human being, to be respected as a human being... by any means necessaryโ- Malcolm X, the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity in June 1964
Malcolm X, 1962

โThere is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.โ- Malcolm X, 1962
Malcolm X, 1963

โIf youโre not ready to die for it, put the word โfreedomโ out of your vocabularyโ- Malcolm X, 1963
Malcolm X, 1964

โWe are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us.โ- Malcolm X, 1964
Malcolm X, 1965

โI, for one, believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, theyโll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.โ- Malcolm X, 1965
Malcolm X on Education
โWithout education, youโre not going anywhere in this worldโ- Malcolm X
Malcolm X on Fighting for Freedom
โYou donโt have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to be an intelligent human beingโ- Malcolm X
Malcolm X, 1964
โI believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I donโt believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesnโt want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but Iโm not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesnโt know how to return the treatment.โ- Malcolm X, 1964
Malcolm X, 1963
โIf violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.โ- Malcolm X, 1963
Malcolm X, 1965

โYou canโt separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.โ- Malcolm X, 1965
Malcolm X on Race

โA race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.โ- Malcolm X, 1965
Malcolm X, 1965

โIt is a time for martyrs now, and if I am to be one, it will be for the cause of brotherhood. Thatโs the only thing that can save this country.โ- Malcolm X, 1965
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