Stanford Humanities Center
A century after his birth, why does Malcolm X remain a central figure in U.S. history of the 1950s and '60s? How did he anticipate the struggles against racism of our time?
Lerone Martin will speak about Malcolm X’s significance and legacy. A guided conversation will follow.
Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor, Professor of Religious Studies, and Director of the King Research and Education Institute.
About the Event
We typically recommend a cocktail for each Night Before event—something in keeping with the occasion. However, Malcolm X abstained from alcohol, partly as an article of his Muslim faith and partly as a tactic for racial justice. As he told Black folks, “you are more dangerous sober than you are drunk.”
He spoke from experience. The man who became Malcolm X, according to his autobiography, was a prodigious user of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and other substances before Islam changed his path and his identity. In prison, he even used nutmeg to get high (do not try this at home).
Old habits are hard to break (as cocktail appreciators know). But Malcolm X had a capacity for personal growth just as remarkable as his drive for social change. As his understanding of Islam continued to evolve, perhaps one day he might even have changed his mind about drinking. We’ll never know.
And so we’d like to propose an evening of sobriety, not only out of respect for Malcolm X, but also as a meditation on crucial questions embedded in his life and work: should those who seek justice be dangerous? When should they be guided by passion and when by reason? What made the writing and oratory of Malcolm X so intoxicating for so many?
About the Series
The Night Before is a series of online conversations in which we examine ritual occasions through the insights of the humanities. As we come together, handcrafted cocktails and mocktails tell their own stories about these unique times of year. In one hour, we learn to experience the next day differently.
Hosted by Stanford alumni, each party is free, and features a guided conversation led by faculty or Humanities Center Fellows.
Postscript
When
Location
Zoom Meeting
Note: this is a community format. Guests are encouraged to turn on their video.
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