I believe that it would be almost impossible to find anywhere in America a black man who has lived further down in the mud of human society than I have; or a black man who has been any more ignorant than I have; or a black man who has suffered more anguish during his life than I have. But it is only after the deepest darkness that the greatest joy can come; it is only after slavery and prison that the sweetest appreciation of freedom can come.
Malcolm XThe white man knows what a revolution is. He knows that the Black Revolution is worldwide in scope and in nature. The Black Revolution is sweeping Asia, is sweeping Africa, is rearing its head in Latin America. The Cuban Revolution - that's a revolution. They overturned the system. Revolution is in Asia, revolution is in Africa, and the white man is screaming because he sees revolution in Latin America. How do you think he'll react to you when you learn what a real revolution is?
Malcolm XThey attack the victim, and then the criminal who attacked the victim accuses the victim of attacking him. This is American justice. This is American democracy and those of you who are familiar with it know that in America democracy is hypocrisy. Now, if Iโm wrong, put me in jail; but if you canโt prove that democracy is not hypocrisy, then donโt put your hands on me.
Malcolm XHis masterโs pain was his pain. And it hurt him more for his master to be sick than for him to be sick himself. When the house started burning down, that type of Negro would fight harder to put the masterโs house out than the master himself would. But then you had another Negro out in the field. The house Negro was in the minority. The massesโthe field Negroes were the masses. They were in the majority. When the master got sick, they prayed that heโd die. If his house caught on fire, they'd pray for a wind to come along and fan the breeze.
Malcolm X