Revolutionary Black Liberation Leader in the U.S.
1925-1965
“Brothers and sisters, if you and I would
just realize, that once we learn to talk the
language that they understand, they will then
get the point. You can’t ever reach a man if
you don’t speak his language. If a man speaks
the language of brute force, you can’t come to
him with peace. Why goodnight! He’ll break
you in two, as he has been doing all along.
If a man speaks French, you can’t speak to
him in German. If he speaks Swahili, you
can’t communicate with him in Chinese. You
have to find out, what does this man speak?
Once you know his language, learn how to
speak his language. He’ll get the point, there
will be some dialogue, some communication,
and some understanding will be developed.
You’ve been in this country long enough to
know the language the Klan speaks, they
only know one language. What you and I
have to start doing in 1965, I mean that’s
what you have to do because most of us
have already been doing it, is start learning a
new language. Learn the language that they
understand, and then when they come up on
our door step to talk, we can talk.”
“.... It is a duty, it is your and my duty, as men,
as human beings, it’s our duty to our people,
to organize ourselves. Let the government
know if they don’t stop that Klan, we’ll stop
it ourselves. Then you’ll see the government
start doing something about it. But don’t ever
think they are going to do it on some morality
basis, no. So I don’t believe in violence, that’s
why I want to stop it.”
Excerpt from Malcolm X Speech
Racist in Reverse? - Feb. 14, 1965 –
Ford Auditorium
