Pinback button which reads “Malcolm X Speaks For Me,” 1960-1970

Since its inception, in the spirit of Carter G. Woodson, Sapelo Square has commemorated Black History Month with daily Black Muslim History facts. This year, Sapelo Square is exploring the Muslim collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). During Black History Month, we will display a different object each day from the collection, showing how the objects help tell the rich histories of Muslims of African descent in the United States. View the entire series at our dedicated Black History Month 2021 page.

We honor the life and legacy of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz/Malcolm X on February 21, the day of his martyrdom 56 years ago. Malcolm’s powerfully articulated analysis of unfreedom, inequality, and injustice in America, has informed generations of scholars, activists, artists, and people of faith. This simple round pinback button with black type that says “Malcolm X Speaks For Me,” dates to the 1960s or ‘70s; but it reflects a sentiment that still resonates today.