This track was produced as a sequel to ‘Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa’ by De La Soul, a track which tells the story of a young girl who suffers abuse from her father until she exacts revenge. Millie just shot her father who was playing Santa in a Macy’s and now she is booking out of the store fast to avoid the cops.

A reference to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which occured in 1963 killing four girls, perpetrated by four members of the Ku Klux Klan. However, due to many issues no convictions took place until 1977 in which one took place, the rest took place in 2001 and 2002 with one of the suspects dying in 1994 before any charge could take place

(Clockwise, top left)
Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair

Despite religious and political differences they were able to come together and speak in the name of progress, communism, socialism and capitalism are three different polictical/economical ideologies

With this powerful description Malcolm is bringing attention to the connection of black people and their ancestors, allowing them to recognize the collective journey that’s been undertaken and the events that have led to where they are

The Bandung Conference took place from April 18th until April 24th 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia. 29 countries within Africa and Asia took part. The conference served to form ties between Asian and African countries through cultural, social, political and economical means. With the 29 countries taking part there were vast differences regarding political alignments and religion.

Upon leaving The Nation of Islam Malcolm X began to identify the struggle for the freedom and equality of black people in America as not just civil rights but human rights, through this identification Malcolm felt he was able to bring the struggle to be recognized on an international level and not just an national one. By doing this Malcolm also felt he’d be able to link black people with their original history and ancestors through bringing African countries to recognize the cause he was fighting for and garner international support

The journey forced upon slaves from Africa to the Americas and the Caribbean is often titled the ‘Middle Passage’. Slaves were kept in inhumane conditions and treated as cargo as opposed to human beings

A dramatic, matter-of-fact way to describe the disenfranchisement felt and experienced by black people in America during this time, a testament to their treatment as second-class citizens, living in America but not being a part of it, not sharing the same rights or freedoms as white Americans

Recognizing differences only serves to seperate people and prevent them achieving a common goal, Malcolm is saying people should unite based on their similarities and the common problem they all share, only by doing this can they achieve progress

Once the issue of alienation is addressed, once black people begin to recognise how they’re perceived they could act accordingly. By developing intelligence they prevent exploitation and alienation and begin a journey of self-determination and self-realization