Malcolm X Quotes Reminding Us Of Our Power
Malcolm X was an African-American Muslim and one of the most prophetic human rights activists in history. Courageous and determined with every word uttered from his mouth—yet humbled and teachable by his mishaps. He was filled with passion advocating for human rights for the Black community, regardless of all it's cost him. If you haven't read his autobiography that he had predominantly written alongside Alex Haley—you are definitely missing out.
X's autobiography shed light on how disciplined he was despite his circumstances and how willingly vulnerable he was in return for transformation to become a better version of himself. Malcolm X will forever be the muse for justice, as he mentioned, "A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
Here are some inspiring Malcolm X quotes to remind yourself of the power that lies within you for the times where you forget.
Malcolm X + Self-Love Quotes
Giphy"There 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." – Malcolm X
I know life has flipped many of our lives upsides down due to the ongoing pandemic, but just know that all that we are enduring is serving a purpose in a significant way. Our God is an intentional God, so this season serves a purpose; even if life still looks a bit blurry, keep going.
"Anytime you see someone more successful than you are, they are doing something you aren't." - Malcolm X.
So when you have your moments of comparison, pause and pay attention to the little details because that's the part you're missing—focusing on the little details that work for your story, not someone else's. Focus on your lane, things may not always come on your timing, but they'll come when you're ready for that blessing; until then, stay present and do the best you can with what you have.
Malcolm X’s Appreciation for Black Women Quotes
GiphyIf y'all didn't know prior, let me just tell you now Malcolm X was the hero for Black women. He recognized our struggles, spoke up about colorism issues, and he was ready to fight our battles if we were ever harmed.
"The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman."—Malcolm X
His goals were set on doing whatever he had to do to uplift the Black community. Fifty plus years later, we're still dealing with the mindset of not feeling good enough or working twice as hard to get noticed in white spaces. We still have issues with colorism and texturism that was started by the white community and frowned upon within our own community. We have to do better, but we can only do better if we're willing to hold ourselves accountable for shifting such toxic mindsets.
"Who taught you to hate the color of your skin? Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet?" - Malcolm X
You are beautiful as you are. To my dark skin sisters, I see you and value you; you do NOT need to settle for just anybody because society claims your options are limited. Throw that myth away; you are as exquisite as they come, and you deserve the world, nothing less. Stop fetishizing light skin or biracial Black women; it's uncomfortable to be appreciated for our skin tone versus our character and what we add to society. To my sisters with 4C hair, learn to love it despite what the world perceives of how 'unmanageable' your hair is. Let out your afro shine or slay your natural styles if that's what you please.
We have to take away these beauty standards formulated by whiteness. Black features are astounding, I have my personal receipt of being teased for my big full lips as a child, and now every woman wants them. Our features are not trends; they hold timeless beauty.
Malcolm X + Education Quotes
GiphyAmong the many character traits I absolutely adore about Malcolm X, one of my favorites was – he was always trying to learn something new; he was a student and teachable scholar for a lifetime.
"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."– Malcolm X
One of the most transformative moments in X's life was when he was incarcerated for ten years. He had such a rough childhood that robbed his youth and drew him into life on the streets. In jail, he was finally able to be reflective—to see how far he's come and question if this is all life had to offer him. He rejected the mindset of missing out in the world because he was behind bars. X was so ashamed of not reading or writing well, which is why he dedicated his time there to educate himself socially, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
As Malcolm states, "Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world."
Self-education matters as much as traditional education is taught in schools, where so many things are taken out of history because it doesn't suit white supremacy. The system was set up for us not to know ourselves, so it's every Black individual's duty to seek knowledge about our roots, whether through a book, podcast, documentary, etc.
"Education is an important element in the struggle for human rights. It is the means to help our children and thereby increase self-respect." – Malcolm X
If you don't know your history, you can't combat the issues we're having today because you're unaware of the marginalized system's patterns that were built to hold us back.
Malcolm X + Justice Quotes
Human Rights Unity GIFGiphyI don't know about y'all, but there was never a lick of text in my textbook talking about all of the work Malcolm X has contributed to society. And that information was held back to hold back our power of knowing our worth.
"America's greatest crime against the black man was not slavery or lynching, but that he was taught to wear a mask of self-hate and self-doubt."― Malcolm X
Many people dismiss Malcolm X's ideologies because of fear and self-doubt. He was the definition of articulate and unapologetic about his stance, which in itself was his most significant threat. Malcolm taught us that complacency wouldn't make the changes we want to see; you have to get uncomfortable to demand the respect and care you deserve.
"Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery." ― Malcolm X
Malcolm's legacy taught me self-worth is something you have to fight for; you have to define it for others and be vocal about your boundaries. Some people may be dismissive because of his radical behavior, but Malcolm and Martin Luther King Jr. had the same goal, but they just had different ways of getting things done.
"I don't even call it violence when it's in self-defense; I call it intelligence." ― Malcolm X
Your power lies in your voice; if you don't use it effectively, you are enabling anyone to have their way. So live your life unapologetically speaking your truth and claiming what's yours!
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Featured image via Unseen Histories on Unsplash
Ajeé Buggam is a content writer and fashion designer from New York City and an alumna from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She specializes in writing about race, social injustice, relationships, feminism, entrepreneurship, and mental wellness. Check out her recent work at Notes To Self
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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It’s been nearly twenty years since India.Arie’s crown anthem, “I am not my hair,” gave Black women an affirmation to live by. What followed was a natural hair revolution that birthed a new level of self-love and acceptance. Concerns around how to better care for our hair birthed an entire new generation of entrepreneurs who benefitted from the power of the Black dollar. Retailers made room for product lines made for us, by us, on their shelves, and we further affirmed that though our hair doesn’t define us, it is part of our unique self-expression.
Today, that movement has turned into a wig uprising where Black women are able to experiment with colors, styles, and more without causing irreparable damage to our hair. It could even be said that we’ve arrived at a new level of acceptance: one that does not equate love of oneself to one’s willingness or lack thereof to wear her hair the way others deem acceptable. Not even other people who look like us.
However, as with Blackness itself, the issue of Black women’s hair is layered.
On the surface, it’s nothing more than a matter of personal preference. However, in a deeper dive, issues of texture, curl pattern, and of course, proximity to social acceptance, as well as other runoff streams from the waters of racism and patriarchy, rear their heads. The natural hair movement, though a wide-reaching and liberating community builder, also gave way to colorism and often upheld mainstream beauty standards.
Sometimes, favoring lighter-skinned influencers/creators with very specific hair textures, the white gaze leaked into our safe space and forced us to reckon with it. Accurate representations of natural hair in various states of being—undefined curls, kinks, and unlaid edges—are still absent from brand marketing. Protective styles, though intended to provide breaks from styling for our sensitive hair, have become a mask to help our hair be more palatable. A figurative straddle of the fence in order to appease the comfort of others in the face of our hair’s power.
And then there’s the issue of length.
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As a woman who has spent much of the last decade voluntarily wearing her hair in many variations of short hairstyles, from a pixie cut to a curly fro and a sleek bob, what I’ve gleaned throughout the years is that there is a glaring difference between how I am treated when wearing my hair short than when I opt for weaves, extensions or even grow it out slightly longer than my chin.
The differential treatment comes from women and men alike and spans professional and personal settings, including friends, coworkers, and industry peers.
What has become abundantly clear is that long hair is often conflated with beauty, softness, and any number of other words we relate to femininity in a way that short hair is not. That perceived marker of the essence of womanhood shows up in how I am received, communicated with, and complimented.
Even more so than texture, length has a way of deciding who among us is deserving of our attention, affection, and adoration. Whether naturally grown or proudly bought, the commentary around someone’s look or image greatly shifts when “inches” are present.
When it comes to long hair, we really, really do care.
In an effort to understand whether I had simply been misinterpreting the energy around my hair, I decided to take my findings to social media. I began with two side-by-side photos of myself. In both pictures, my hair is straightened; however, in one, I am wearing my signature pixie cut, and in the other, I am wearing extensions.
I posited that treatment based on hair length is a real thing, and what followed was confirmation that I was not alone in my feelings. “Long hair, like light skin, button noses, and being thin are all forms of social capital,” one user commented. “Some Black women enforce the status quo too, why wouldn’t we?”
Courtesy
This also brought to mind the many times celebrity women (like most recently Beyoncé's Cécred hair tutorial) have done big reveals of their own natural tresses in an attempt to silence any doubt that Black women are able to grow their hair beyond a certain length. Of course, we all know that to be true, so why do we still feel the need to prove it so?
The responses continued to pour in from women of all skin tones, who felt that hair length played a role in people’s treatment of them. “When I have short hair I always feel like people don’t treat me like a woman, they treat me like a kid,” another user commented. “When my hair is long I get a lot more respect for some reason.”
From revelations about feeling invisible to admitted shifts in their own perceived beauty, Black woman after Black woman poured out her experience as it relates to hair length. Though affirmed by their shared realities, knowing that reactions to something so trivial have become yet another hair battle for Black women to fight was disheartening. Though we continue to defy gravity and push the bounds of imagination and creativity by way of our strands, will it always be in response to the idea that we are, somehow, falling short?
Unlike more obvious instances of hair discrimination, the glorification of longer length is sneakier in its connection to Eurocentric beauty standards. Hair commercials, beauty ads, and even hip-hop music have long celebrated the idea of gloriously long tresses while holding onto the ignorant notion that it is inaccessible for Black women.
Even as we continue to fight to prove our hair professional, elegant, and worthy in its natural state to the world at large, we’ve also adopted harmful value markers of our own as a community. It’s evident in how we talk about who has the right to start a haircare line and which influencers we easily platform. It’s evident in the language we use to identify those with long hair versus short hair. And it’s painfully obvious in how we treat one another.
It makes me wonder if India.Arie’s brave rallying cry, almost two decades old in its existence, will ever actually hold true for us. Or will we just continue to invent new ways to uphold the harmful status quo?
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Feature image by Willie B. Thomas/ Getty Images