Black Journal: 9; Tribute to Malcolm X: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A short documentary made for the National Education Television's Black Journal television program. It consists of a single reel of 16mm black-and-white acetate film with optical sound and was made from compiled footage of Malcolm X to commemorate the four-year anniversary of his assassination.

This film opens with footage of the public attending the funeral/wake of Malcolm X, and a voice-over of a male narrator recounts the sentiments of some individuals describing what Malcolm X meant to the African American community during his life and after his assassination. Malcolm X's wife, Betty Shabazz, discusses Malcolm's early childhood roots, family, stints in foster care and boys' homes, and his struggle to stay on the straight and narrow in Boston, MA. The narrator then picks back up describing Malcolm X's biography and attitude towards race relations and integration in America. Excerpts from various television interviews with Malcolm X play.

During the first interview clip, Malcolm explains why he believes integration has not been successful and cannot be successful (during that particular point in time) unless certain issues are addressed. In the second interview clip, Malcolm discusses why he was silenced by the Nation of Islam for a comment he made shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He elaborates on what he actually meant by saying that "chickens are coming home to roost" amid an unaddressed climate of hate in the United States. The third interview is with Malcolm after he returned from his pilgrimage to Mecca. American reporters ask him about his feelings on integration in America, now that he has returned from Mecca, where Muslims from all over were participating in the pilgrimage to Mecca together. Malcolm states that his feelings on integration have not changed as a result of the brotherhood he experienced during his trip to Mecca.

An interview with Betty Shabazz picks up again, and she further explains her late husband's beliefs concerning integration and his wish to redirect the goal of the black struggle from civil rights to human rights by internationalizing the struggle and aligning African Americans with other marginalized groups around the world. Another interview with Malcolm X plays, and he explains, in his own words, how human rights is an international issue that should be addressed by the United Nations. Footage of a civil rights demonstration plays. Malcolm X addresses students in Selma, Alabama and talks about charging the United States with human rights violations. Further, he tells a story in which he defines what he believes to be the difference in mentality between what he calls a "field negro" and a "house negro". He states that he is a "field negro" ready to fight for his freedom.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1969
• Produced by: National Educational Television, American, 1954 - 1970
• Edited by: Madeline Anderson, American
• Subject of: Malcolm X, American, 1925 - 1965
• Subject of: Betty Shabazz, American, 1934 - 1997
• Owned by: Pearl Bowser, American, 1931 - 2023
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: short subjects
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 500 ft
• Dimensions: Duration: 14 min.
• Place filmed: Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Black power
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Documentary films
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Funeral customs and rites
• Topic: Islam
• Topic: Mass media
• Object number: 2012.79.1.37.1a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © National Educational Television Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.