“We were truly all the same (brothers)—because their belief in one God had removed the ‘white’ from their minds, the ‘white’ from their behavior, and the ‘white’ from their attitude. I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man – and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their ‘differences’ in color.” – The Autobiography of Malcolm X As Told to Alex Haley

Most recently, I had the great honor of paying a visit to the Shabazz Center where the great feelings of Malcolm X that brotherhood is possible among all races after returning from Mecca is represented on its walls. There are displays from different parts of his life and Dr. Betty Shabazz. It is steeped in culture. The Shabazz Center has recently re-opened for tours Tuesday – Friday, 11-5, after a long battle to restore the building.

*A list of the favorite books of Malcolm X*

I had the opportunity of speaking with Gaye who with great emotion shared the history of the building and the Shabazz lives leading up to the moment in the Audubon Ballroom.

I had the honor of presenting her with a couple of my Zines as inspired by Malcolm X, and to my great surprise, she took a look at them and said they would reach the hands of his daughter Dr. Shabazz.

*The cover of my zine “Writing in the Cafe”*

Ascending the steps to Audubon Ballroom where Malcolm X became a martyr is a heavy feeling. The weight of that pivotal moment in history lingers there, but as the mural on that wall claims, it is not the end. We shall “Prevail.”

I am so glad I made this trip to New York to visit my friends. It was a time of healing. It was a time of brotherhood. It was a time of great feeling.

El-hajj Malik El-Shabazz

Is it the Divine he wanted to wipe out?