“Malcolm Lives!” — At Metro Book Talk

“There are no throwaway people.”

So said Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Thursday afternoon, a message that resounded for over 100 students and educators in a Metropolitan Business Academy classroom — and a distillation of how the antiracist scholar sought to teach a new generation about the subject of his most recent book, Malcolm X.

Kendi was at the Water Street school to discuss Malcolm Lives! with Dr. Siobhan Carter-David, an associate professor of history at Southern Connecticut State University and the parent of a Metro student. The one-and-a-half-hour event was organized by Possible Futures, Kulturally Lit, Muslim Leadership Lab at Dwight Hall, and the Anti-Racist Teaching & Learning Collective, with support from Metro’s library staff.

Malcolm Lives! tells the story of the Civil Rights-era Black nationalist and revolutionary in a voice meant to resonate with young people. The book begins with scenes from Malcolm X’s birthplace in Omaha, Nebraska, and takes readers through his journey as a young person in difficult circumstances — including extreme hunger, his family’s displacement, involvement with the criminal justice system, and racism in the classroom — to one of the world’s most prominent activists who criticized the mainstream civil rights movement’s integrationist strategy, promoted Black self-empowerment and pan-Africanism, and popularized the phase, ​“By any means necessary.” Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, just a few months shy of his 40th birthday.

Kendi, whose books skyrocketed to prominence during 2020’s nationwide racial-justice reckoning, wrote Malcolm Lives! in a voice meant to resonate with young people. He clarified at Thursday’s event that he ​“respect[s] the brilliance of young readers.” His goal was to ​“translate,” rather than simplify, the politics and personal life of Malcolm X. The book was published on May 13, six days before what would have been Malcolm X’s 100th birthday.

To kick off the event, Carter-David asked Kendi to explain why he chose to write about Malcolm X. In part, Kendi explained, he wanted to honor Malcolm X’s 100th birthday by writing the first Malcolm X biography for young people in over 30 years.

Moreover, he believes that Malcolm X’s story can inspire young people in difficult situations: ​“Malcolm X faced so many challenges and adversities as a young person,” he said. Yet, Kendi continued, he became a fearless revolutionary who left a long-lasting legacy on African American organizing and political thought. ​“Chances are, you’ll see yourself in Malcolm,” Kendi said, an empowering realization for children living in structurally disadvantaged conditions.

Among the audience, familiarity with Kendi and Malcolm X ranged widely. Wilbur Cross 11th graders in Akimi Nelken’s English class were exposed to Kendi’s work through Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You—a young adult adaption of Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning and co-written with author Jason Reynolds.

Two of Nelken’s students, Abigail Antoine and Jarley Prado, liked how Stamped highlighted African American figures that are often overlooked in traditional history curriculum. ​“When schools talk about Black history, it’s always the same thing,” said Antoine. ​“But I learned new things from [Stamped],” like about journals published during the Harlem Renaissance. Antoine and Prado received copies of Malcolm Lives! at the event and said they look forward to reading about Malcolm X. (All of the students at the event received free copies of the book, thanks to fundraising by the organizations that hosted Thursday’s book talk.)

During a Q&A, Janet Garcia-Hallet, a criminal justice professor at the University of New Haven, asked for Kendi’s thoughts on how educators can incorporate anti-racist principles in the classroom. Kendi responded that teachers need to study the histories and cultures of their students. He added, ​“With young people, we don’t ask why they might be doing something,” and he implored educators to reflect on whether a child’s ​“misbehavior” may be a symptom of ​“deep hunger” or their structural conditions more broadly.

Metro teacher Julia Miller appreciated Kendi’s discussion about the classroom. ​“I was pinching myself that this was happening here, in our school,” said Miller. ​“Kendi is so much of the voice of anti-racism work that people know about,” and given the political climate, she thinks that it is important to ​“lean into” anti-racism events like this one.

For Metro sophomore Lester McClease, what resonated most was Malcolm X’s personal growth. Seeing him transform from ​“a bad kid” into ​“one of the most influential people in the world” was inspirational, McClease said, and solidified his dream to pursue a legal career focused on racial justice.

At another Malcolm Lives! event scheduled to take place at the Wesleyan library Thursday evening, McClease planned to ask Kendi more about the lessons that he thinks young people should learn from Malcolm X’s life: ​“I want to know: What is [Kendi’s] message to young readers? What does he want us to take away?”