We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, the rock landed on us!
Malcolm X/El Hajj Malik Shabazz
Today marks the anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X/El Hajj Malik Shabazz, so it is only fitting that we speak of Africa.
Renowned historian, Sylviane Diouf, the author of this piece, recalled Langston Hughes’ rhetorical question: “What is Africa to me?” but acknowledged that in 1975 the reverse was also being considered: “What is America to Africans? What is black Americans to black Africans?” She searches for the answer to this question by obtaining the thoughts and attitudes of our brothers and sisters in Senegal. Though the comments are varied, this article provides insightful perspectives and emphasizes that distance has never been a deterrence to maintain our connection to one another. It also reaffirms the desire and need to continue to foster unity, justice and love for each other across the globe.
From Sepia magazine, May 1975
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