African-American figures in American history are given special attention during this time of the year, Black History Month.
A person who should be a role model to all is El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X. He should be thought of throughout the year, not just in February.
Malcolm had standards that all men should live by. Malcolm was a man of both moral and social integrity. He brought a sense of hope and promise to a people that were struggling for equality.
He should be a role model to all for three reasons. He defied his background, he remained faithful to his wife and he admitted he was wrong.
Malcolm was a magnet for trouble in his earlier years.
His father was killed at an early age. His mother had a nervous breakdown shortly thereafter. The then Malcolm Little was placed in the foster care system.
He was eventually sent to live with his sister in Boston where he became involved in illegal activities. He hung out with pimps and prostitutes and sold drugs. He was a womanizer in his earlier years. He was also convicted of armed robbery, for which he received 10 years in prison.
Prison was the best thing that could have ever happened to Malcolm. Malcolm took full advantage of his time in prison. He educated himself in the library while others lifted weights or played games. Malcolm educated himself to the point that he was invited to debate with members of the Harvard debate squad on three separate occasions.
Malcolm is also a role model for all because he remained faithful to his wife. There have been many prominent figures that have fallen to the temptation of the flesh. Kobe Bryant, Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. are just a few who have had extramarital affairs. The list could go on and on.
The point is that Malcolm held his wife in high esteem. He treated her like a queen. Malcolm treated the institution of marriage sacredly, as it should be.
The final reason why Malcolm is a role model for all is the fact that he admitted he was wrong.
Malcolm’s trip to Mecca showed him the error of his ways. Malcolm reveals in his autobiography that he was shocked when he made the pilgrimage.
The men there had blonde hair and blue eyes, yet they were not preaching racial bigotry or hate. They looked like the men of America, but they certainly did not act like them. This revealed to Malcolm that it was wrong to hate people because of looks alone.
It also showed him that the ways of the Nation of Islam under Elijah Muhammad were faulted. Muhammad was even one of the people who engaged in extramarital affairs.
Malcolm had a self-revelation and realized that the teachings of the Nation of Islam were wrong. This was the point when Malcolm branched off and formed his own temple.
Ultimately, Malcolm exemplified what men should stand for. Although Malcolm was the public leader of the Nation of Islam, he never took personal gifts. He only had his car and his house that the nation furnished.
Malcolm incited equality, not unrest. He never promoted offense, only self-defense. He stayed true to his guidelines under the Islamic religion and admitted his wrongdoings.
Malcolm became a martyr for his cause. We all could learn a few things from Malcolm, who is one of the main reasons that many enjoy the privileges that we do today.
Nyerere Tryman is a graduate student in public policy and administration. He can be reached at [email protected].