Description:

Malcolm X 1925 - 1965

Malcolm X writes from Nigeria while on his famous and transformative pilgrimage to Africa.

Autograph letter signed "Malcolm X" on the message side of a picture postcard. Color, 5.75" x 4". Captioned "Zik of Africa as a Politician." Three Nigerian postage stamps honoring Boxing and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics postmarked Lagos, November 1, 1964. Addressed by Malcolm X to "Miss Gloria Owens / 12208 Scottwood Apt 12 / Cleveland, Ohio /USA." Fine condition.

In full: "Greetings from / beautiful / Nigeria here / in West Africa."

Pictured on this postcard is Nnamdi (Zik) Azikiwe, first President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1963 - 1966). In April andf May 1964, Malcolm X had left the United States on a personal and spiritual journey through the Middle East and West Africa, including Nigeria. He returned to Nigeria in October.

Clayborne Carson reported in "Malcolm X: The FBI File", Introduction by Spike Lee (New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 1991), that "Malcolm X visited Lagos for the second time on October 29, 1964. He previously visited Lagos in May 1964. On his arrival on October 29, 1964, he held a press conference. Malcolm X was quoted as saying that he was 'touring Africa to better acquaint himself with the problems facing the continent so that he could tell his people at home about these problems, factually and in detail.' Malcolm X said that 'one of the greatest problems facing Africa was internal squabbling' and continued, 'in East Africa it is the Africans against the Asians, and in West Africa, it is the Moslem against Christians and all these are fed by outside force.'"

Shortly after arriving in Lagos, Malcolm X mailed this postcard postmarked on November 1, 1964, to Miss Gloria Owens, the sister of Maceo X Owens, secretary at Muhammad's Mosque No. 7 in Harlem where Malcolm X preached alongside Louis Farrakhan. After traveling in Africa and the Middle East in April and May, Malcolm X founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI) and the Organization of African Unity. He continued efforts to publicize Muhammad's alleged extramarital affairs, and sent an aide to gain signatures for a paternity suit by two of the leader's former secretaries.

During the first week of March 1964, Elijah Muhammad had asked his advisors about the title and property rights to Malcolm's home in East Elmhurst, Queens. Mosque No. 7 secretary Maceo X Owens (Gloria Owens' brother) filed papers on behalf of the Nation of Islam to have the former minister and his family evicted from their Queens home. The Nation of Islam's stance on the eviction trial was that the home had been purchased for Malcolm X in his ministerial capacities, but that he had severed the relationship with the establishment of MMI. The eviction trial was held on June 15 - 16, 1964; the Judge ruled in favor of the Nation of Islam in September 1964 while Malcolm X was in Africa. He tabled the execution of the warrant until January 1965. Three days before his assassination on February 21, 1965, Malcolm X and his family moved to the home of close friend, Thomas Wallace.

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