Free Malcolm X by Clayborne Carson

Investigation (FBI), but that this was only an effort to intimidate them and make them fear to come and hear anything about themselves.
    [BUREAU DELETION] the subject made the following remarks to a meeting of the Philadelphia Temple of the MCI.
    Editor’s note. “Charity begins at home,” quotes Malcolm at the beginning of the extract included in the file at this point. But, he adds, too many black people have been so long “mentally dead’’ that they have been blind to the significance of the familiar maxim and deaf to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad .
    Malcolm argues that the charity of black people has been misplaced ever since they were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, “in the year 1555.” For four hundred years, then, says Malcolm, they have been fighting for the enemy they should be fighting against—an enemy who preaches white supremacy, who rapes black women, hangs black men, tortures black children. The enemy is the white man, and the white man the devil soon to be “wiped off the planet earth.” Thus comes Malcolm’s admonition regarding charity to this enemy: “Do not have love in your heart for this man because he is about to be destroyed and if you love him, you will be destroyed along with him.”
    Armageddon, according to Malcolm, has already begun. Already the white devils are being destroyed by the Most High in hurricanes and floods. Their boats are sinking, Malcolm tells his audience; their cars are crashing, their airplanes are falling out of the sky. They are dying of cancers more deadly than any diseases ever before known. Only the followers of Elijah Muhammad, the true messenger of Allah, will be led out of destruction and returned to their home in the East“where they will rule the planet.” For, Malcolm tells them, “you are descendants of the moon people and are from the tribe of Shabazz.”
    [BUREAU DELETION] LITTLE was the principal speaker of the evening and devoted his lecture to the praising of ELIJAH MUHAMMAD and a lesson on the background of the Muslim movement.
    [BUREAU DELETION] LITTLE stated that it would be advisable for all members of the temple to donate at least three percent of their weekly salary to the organization, which monies would be turned over to the prophet ELIJAH MUHAMMAD in Chicago for safekeeping.
    [BUREAU DELETION] that MALCOLM LITTLE made the following remarks at a meeting of the MCI held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    Editor’s note. Malcolm addresses the subject of black women in this particular extract in the FBI file. Black women who wear dresses cut “so low you can see [their] knees” and who laugh at their more modest sisters arouse Malcolm’s anger and despair, for such women belong to the devil’s kind. Indeed, the devil is using them to trick, tempt and mislead black men, just as he used a woman to deceive Adam. Nor is it inapt, as Malcolm sees it, that the Statue of Liberty is a woman, because she, like so many of the sisters who have fallen into a miserable state, promises her people the freedom to act as indecently as they please. Not until all “the lost-found sisters” awaken to the teaching of Elijah Muhammad will the nation of Islam be complete, for only then will all the black brothers be fully free of such black women’s evil influence and able finally to save themselves .
    At this point, one of the sisters, evidently taking offense at Malcolm’s remarks, gets up and starts to walk out of the temple. Malcolm’s words follow her as he calls upon the congregation to observe her; he scorns her “hair [of] five different shades” and warns her of her peril in imitating whitedevils at a time when Allah is preparing to remove ‘‘this wicked people” from the very face of the earth .
    Imitation, in Malcolm’s view, ensures bondage; for imitation of white people by blacks is premised—falsely—on the superiority of