Debate honors Malcolm X's 100th birthday with Black empowerment talk
From L-R: D'Maiya Clark, Mamboge Njie, Laila Sanford-McKisic, and Kyla Canty, debaters in a program at Wayne State University honoring the 100th birthday of Malcolm X. May 19, 2025 | Photo by Jackson Coleman
Detroit — On Monday, Umoja Debate League hosted a debate featuring high school students at Wayne State University's M. Roy Wilson State Hall to commemorate what would have been Malcolm X's 100th birthday.
It was held in the Malcolm X Auditorium with around 75 people in attendance, the event based on the question: Should the Black community prioritize investing in local grassroots organizations over supporting Black political figures in office?
Umoja Debate League is a nonprofit organization 'that uses debate as our vehicle to teach Detroit youth ages 11-18 transferable life skills, such as critical thinking, confidence, conflict resolution, increased literacy, and self-expression,' according to its website.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
The event opened with remarks from Wayne State University professor Dr. Kefentse Chike, who talked about the historical importance of the room and Malcolm's evolution from Malcolm Little to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
'His life was short, but powerfully transformative,' he said, talking about Malcolm's lasting impact on movements from the Black Panther Party to Black Lives Matter.
Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. He spent his youth in Michigan, living in Lansing after his family moved there in the 1920s. He spoke at Wayne State University in 1963. Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, in New York City.
The debate reflected key themes of self-determination, accountability, and collective action—values that were the most important to Malcolm X's legacy.
Debaters Laila Sanford-McKisic and Kyla Canty of Renaissance High School argued in favor of grassroots investment, and Mamboge Njie of Renaissance High and D'Maiya Clark of Detroit School of Arts emphasized the importance of political power.
'I want to make it very clear that this is not an either-or conversation; this is about strategy, about timing, about balancing where the money goes,' Njie said. Canty responded that 'politicians will not save us,' emphasizing the strength of community-based work.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
31 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Jackie Robinson mural defaced at Overtown park where Negro League once played
The rain drizzled down as Terrence Cribbs-Lorrant peeled back the plastic bags unveiling a swastika and racist slurs that cover a mural of Jackie Robinson at the historic Dorsey Park in Overtown, hallowed grounds where Negro League players once played ball. The racist epithets — including a swastika and N***** spray-painted onto the concrete walls surrounding the park — were reported to the Miami Police on Monday afternoon in what the community and police are calling a hate crime. The park is located at Northwest 17th Street and Northwest First Avenue. 'We need the community to uncover the hurt and the hatred that is existing,' Cribbs Lorrant, director of Miami's Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum, told reporters at a Tuesday morning press conference. The mural's defacing galvanized the Overtown community, with members of the Overtown Business Association, the museum and others calling for more of a police presence around the park, once home to the Negro Leagues' Ethiopian Clowns. 'We're going to increase police patrols,' Miami Police Commander A. Cooper told the small crowd inside Dorsey Memorial Library. 'We're going to make sure we also partner with some of our specialized units to bring more presence, more enforcement in the key hot spots in Overtown.' The murals have been up since 2011 and were spearheaded by URGENT Inc., a youth development organization based in Overtown, along with funding from the Knight Arts Challenge. This is the first time they have been defaced, said Saliha Nelson, the founder and CEO of URGENT. Nelson's brother Kadir Nelson painted some of the murals that adorn the park, including that of Satchel Page, James 'Biz' Mackey and Josh Gibson — all stars of the Negro Leagues, which began in 1920 to counter Major League Baseball excluding Blacks from playing professional ball. Jackie Robinson played for the Negro Leagues' Kansas City Monarchs in 1945, before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the winter of 1945, becoming Major League Baseball's first Black ballplayer. 'I was really floored and appalled that someone would have the audacity to come and deface in such a derogatory, mean-spirited way,' Saliha Nelson told the Miami Herald.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Civil rights leader Talbert Swan II claims racist threats from musician
SPRINGFIELD — Bishop Talbert W. Swan II is urging an entertainment company to take action over a string of racist messages he says he received from a musician it represents, Danny Wilde. Wilde, a 68-year-old white musician, performs as part of a Bon Jovi tribute tour under the management of AFM Entertainment. The incident began when Swan made a social media post about the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Swan said Wilde went off in a reply, invoking racist tropes about food stamps and Section 8 housing vouchers. Swan's post criticized those calling for the exoneration of Floyd's killer, former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin. MAGA followers have been calling for President Trump to do just that. Chauvin is serving a 22-year sentence for violating the constitutional rights of Floyd and, in a separate incident, of a 14-year-old child. On May 25, 2020, Floyd lost his life after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes; Chauvin also choked and beat the child with a flashlight on Sept. 4, 2017. Through Facebook and Instagram messages in response to Swan's post, Wilde sent racially charged insults, threats of physical violence, and other offensive messages aimed at Swan's race, profession, and advocacy for justice. Wilde also demanded that Swan, a nationally known minister and president of the Greater Springfield National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 'make him a burger,' while threatening lawsuits and claiming he would 'snap (him) in half.' Swan said there were thousands of comments and hundreds of people that responded to his post. 'Being active and vocal against injustice triggers a lot of these racists,' he said. Although many responses are nasty, he said he does not expose everyone, only those who make physical threats against him. 'Danny Wilde felt emboldened to threaten me because I spoke out against injustice and condemned calls to pardon Derek Chauvin, the convicted murderer of George Floyd. That is the audacity of white supremacy in 2025,' Swan said. 'What I don't understand is why they don't think Black people have the right to voice their opinion,' he said. Wilde works for AFM Entertainment, a company in Michigan owned by Len Schmitzer that hires performers across the nation. Wilde's acts include Bon Jovi tribute performances, tying his public image to a legendary brand known for its mass appeal and diverse fan base, Swan said. 'AFM Entertainment must make clear whether it condones this kind of behavior from its artists,' Swan said. 'Any agency with integrity should sever ties immediately. Bon Jovi is a global icon whose music speaks to hope and unity. I find it hard to believe Jon Bon Jovi would stand by while someone using his name and likeness harasses Black clergy and spews racist vitriol from behind a keyboard,' he said. AFM Entertainment's owner, Len Schmitzer, said in a statement the company does not condone any type of racist or hate speech. 'I have not been shown any of the threatening messages in question, so I cannot comment on any of that directly, as I have no knowledge of what was said,' he said. 'This matter will be handled internally once we see the messages in question. But again, to be clear, AFM Entertainment fully condemns any sort of racist, hate or threatening speech.' Swan said he sent Wilde's messages directly to AFM Entertainment and Schmitzer before he released a statement to the media and as of Tuesday had not heard back. Over the past 30 years, Swan said he's faced many threats and attempts at censorship for speaking up about racism. While the messages were reported to Meta, owner of Facebook, Swan said Tuesday he hadn't received a response. Swan said Wilde's messages are part of a bigger problem of out of control white men attacking Black leaders online without facing consequences. 'This is not about one man. This is about a culture that emboldens racist violence — digital or physical — when Black people speak truth to power. It must be confronted and condemned at every level,' Swan said. Swan said he has taken precautions to safeguard himself, his church and his family. Despite the danger, Swan emphasized the importance of continuing to fight for social justice and racial equality. 'I believe in a higher power, protection and being prepared to deal with a threat,' Swan said. He said he has always felt compelled to do this work and that he wants to make the world a better place for his children and grandchildren. More now than ever, particularly with the Trump administration in office, Swan said he fears for what kind of world will be left to them. Swan called for unity among people of all races, colors and creeds. 'We need to learn how to set aside our differences and come together to fight for our collective best interests.' 'This isn't just about Black people. Although we're disproportionately affected, many different groups are affected by the wickedness of this administration,' he said. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Los Flamboyanes polling site relocated to Salvation Army
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The polling site at Los Flamboyanes has found an alternative location after being closed due to construction. In a press conference held by Monroe County Vice President and Legislator Mercedes Vazquez Simmons on Tuesday, it was announced that voters who previously used the site formerly located at 100 Boriquen Plaza in Rochester will now be able to vote at the Salvation Army located at 915 North Clinton Avenue. The Los Flamboyanes Apartment location stood as one of the city's largest and most historic polling sites, serving District 22 and the 14605 zip code. It is also known for the largest population of Black and Latino voters. The alternative site stays within the area for an easy transition. 'The goal was to provide residents with a location they were familiar with, within close proximity to their prior polling site due to lack of transportation for many, and to make certain it is easily accessible to our aging population,' Vazquez Simmons said. Arc of Monroe event makes voter registration accessible She is encouraging Monroe County to notify residents and advertise poll site changes in advance, as many voters are left unaware of the changes and their impact on Election Day. 'I understand the polling site closure is due to construction, but the lack of communication about the poll closure is concerning. Once again, voters were not made aware of this change in a timely fashion, which would create confusion and ultimately deny many the right to vote on Election Day,' Vazquez Simmons said in a statement. The local primary election is scheduled for June 24. When voting, residents can expect to report to the site and utilize new touch-screen voting machines. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
