By Herb Boyd, New York Amsterdam News —
By the time you read this, the organizations and individuals marking the 101st anniversary of the birth of Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) on Tuesday will have completed their celebrations.
The number 101 will always have a special place in my memory. It was the number of my study hall in high school for four years, and a refuge I willingly sought under the counseling and guidance of Miss Vyn.
When my mother made her transition in 2021, she was 101, and had been almost as active as ever. These three people helped shape the man I am today; of course, not equally, three-thirds. At home, it was Moms; in school, it was Miss Vyn; and by the time I was in my 20s, Malcolm took control.
He first took my hand in 1961, just a few months before I was drafted into the army. This moment occurred at the Muslim Temple No. 1 (now Masjid Wali Muhammad) on Linwood Avenue in Detroit. His grip was firm and strong, and even to this day, I can remember its enormous size and pressure, which was accompanied by his greeting of “peace be unto you.”
Now, some 60-plus years later, Malcolm’s touch remains as powerful and momentous as it was on that first and only meeting. Memories returned in February when I was honored to be among the recipients of the Vanguard Award at the Shabazz Center.
Over the years, during this commemoration of his assassination, I was ordinarily with the press contingent, so, in effect, I was summoned from the back of the room to the podium, where Malcolm stood and lectured so passionately.
For his 101st birthday celebration, I will be behind the microphone or on a cellphone with Mimi Rosenberg of WBAI, concluding a daylong event honoring our fallen hero. There’s a photo of me with my hand on Gabriel Koren’s statue of Malcolm’s shoulder at the center, but my hand will always be in his hand.
Featured image: Herb Boyd was an honoree at 61st Commemoration of Malcolm X at the Shabazz Center. (Courtesy: Herb Boyd)
Originally published by New York Amsterdam News
