Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention

Last updated

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention
Malcolm X Life of Reinvention.jpg
Cover of first U.S. edition
Author Manning Marable
CountryUnited States
Subject Malcolm X
Genre Non-fiction, biography
Publisher Viking
Publication date
April 4, 2011 (hardcover) [1]
December 28, 2011 (paperback) [1]
Pages608
ISBN 978-0670022205

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention is a biography of Malcolm X written by American historian Manning Marable. [2] It won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for History. [3]

Contents

Pulitzer.org described this as "an exploration of the legendary life and provocative views of one of the most significant African-Americans in U.S. history, a work that separates fact from fiction and blends the heroic and tragic." [3] In the book, Marable concludes that Malcolm X exaggerated his early criminal career, and engaged in a homosexual relationship with a white businessman. He also concludes that some of the killers of Malcolm X are still alive and were never charged. [4]

Reception

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention was nominated for the National Book Award, [5] and The New York Times ranked it among the 10 Best Books of 2011. [6] It was one of three nominees for the inaugural Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction (2012) presented by the American Library Association for the best adult non-fiction. [7] It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History in 2012. [3] As of April 2011 the book had been among the top ten books of the best seller list of Amazon.com. According to Viking, the print run had increased to 70,000 from the original 46,000. [8]

Henry Louis Gates Jr., a literary critic, admired the book and said "Manning Marable has written the definitive biography of this outrageously misrepresented figure. He has plumbed countless historical records to bring out what is there, not what is imagined." [9]

Houston A. Baker, Jr., author of the book review "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable" at the African American Review , wrote that the book "also finds itself under excoriating siege from a legion of detractors who count themselves admirers and disciples 'connected' with Malcolm X and his 'celebrity.'" [10] Karl Evanzz, the author of The Judas Factor: The Plot to Kill Malcolm X, referred to Marable's book as an "abomination" and stated that "it is a cavalcade of innuendo and logical fallacy, and is largely reinvented from previous works on the subject". [9] An online magazine, The Root , declined to publish Evanzz's review. Gates, the editor in chief of The Root, said that he had no role in the rejection of Evanzz's review. [9] David Montgomery of The Washington Post stated that "most reviews have been far more positive than Evanzz’s." [9]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "By Any Means Necessary: Malcolm X -- Real, Not Reinvented", presentation by Herb Boyd at the Brecht Forum, C-SPAN [11]

Author and journalist Herb Boyd stated he found as many as 25 significant errors in the book, some of which he described as "absolutely egregious". [12]

Marable's account has also been challenged in Jared Ball and Todd Steven Burroughs' book A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable’s Malcolm X. Ball has stated that Marable's book “is a corporate product, a simple commodity to be traded, but for more than money; it is a carefully constructed ideological assault on history, on radical politics, on historical and cultural memory, on the very idea of revolution.” [13]

University of Chicago professor Michael Dawson defended Marable's biography, stating Marable had "precisely focused on some of the critical central questions confronting black and progressive politics." [14]

Linwood X Cathcart, a former Nation of Islam minister, started a $50 million lawsuit against Marable's estate, Columbia University, and Viking Press, as a result of Marable's suggestions that Cathcart was involved in Malcolm X's murder. In the book Marable misspelled his name "Linward". [15]

Ilyasah and Malaak Shabazz, daughters of Malcolm X, criticized the book's argument that there was possible infidelity and strain in the marriage between Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz; Ilyasah said that the marriage "was definitely faithful and devoted because my father was a man of impeccable integrity, and I think that most people, if they're not clear on anything, they're clear that he was moral and ethical and had impeccable character." [8] [16] In response to criticisms, Boyce Watkins wrote in The Tennessee Tribune that "the fact that a person is your greatest hero does not mean they cannot be critiqued" and regarding the criticism from Malcolm X's daughters he wrote that their response "is natural, given that every little girl in America wants to believe that her daddy can do no wrong." [16]

Editions

The book was published in hardcover, paperback, audiobook and various ebook formats. [17]

Television series

In August 2017, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Hollywood reported that the independent studio Critical Content was developing a television series based on Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention with writer David Matthews. Professor Leith Mullings, the wife of Manning Marable, who wrote Malcolm X, was among those identified as consultants to the project. [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm X</span> American Black rights activist (1925–1965)

Malcolm X was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Islam until 1964, he was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment and the promotion of Islam within the Black community. A posthumous autobiography, on which he collaborated with Alex Haley, was published in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Shabazz</span> American educator and wife of Malcolm X (1934–1997)

Betty Shabazz, also known as Betty X, was an American educator and civil rights advocate. She was married to Malcolm X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manning Marable</span> American academic (1950–2011)

William Manning Marable was an American professor of public affairs, history and African-American Studies at Columbia University. Marable founded and directed the Institute for Research in African-American Studies. He wrote several texts and was active in numerous progressive political causes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muslim Mosque, Inc.</span> Human Rights activism group, primarily focused on improving the lives of Afro-Americans

Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI) was an Islamic organization formed by Malcolm X after he was removed from the Nation of Islam. MMI was a relatively small group that collapsed after its founder was assassinated.

The Hayer affidavits are two affidavits made by Talmadge Hayer—also known by the name Thomas Hagan—the convicted assassin of Malcolm X. The statements give Hayer's account of his involvement in the planning and execution of the murder.

Kim McLarin is an American novelist, best known for Growing Up X: A Memoir by the Daughter of Malcolm X, co-authored with Ilyasah Shabazz, and Jump at the Sun. Her works include contemporary novels, short stories and non-fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ilyasah Shabazz</span> American writer, daughter of Malcolm X (born 1962)

Ilyasah Shabazz is an American author, community organizer, social activist, and motivational speaker. She is the third daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz, and wrote a memoir titled Growing Up X.

Shabazz is the name of a supposed black architect whose tribe founded the populations of Africa according to the doctrine of the Nation of Islam (NOI). It is similar to the Persian name Shahbaz.

<i>Growing Up X</i>

Growing Up X: A Memoir by the Daughter of Malcolm X is a 2002 book by Ilyasah Shabazz, the third daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Shabazz wrote the book with Kim McLarin.

<i>The Autobiography of Malcolm X</i> Autobiography of African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an autobiography written by American minister Malcolm X, who collaborated with American journalist Alex Haley. It was released posthumously on October 29, 1965, nine months after his assassination. Haley coauthored the autobiography based on a series of in-depth interviews he conducted between 1963 and 1965. The Autobiography is a spiritual conversion narrative that outlines Malcolm X's philosophy of black pride, black nationalism, and pan-Africanism. After the leader was killed, Haley wrote the book's epilogue. He described their collaborative process and the events at the end of Malcolm X's life.

Russell John Rickford is an American scholar and activist who is an associate professor in the History Department at Cornell University. He has written the only in-depth biography on Betty Shabazz. Rickford's research focuses on the black radical tradition and on black liberal culture after World War II. He lectures on American social and political history, among other subjects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herb Boyd</span> American journalist (born 1938)

Herb Boyd is an American journalist, teacher, author, and activist. His articles appear regularly in the New York Amsterdam News. He teaches black studies at the City College of New York and the College of New Rochelle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jared Ball</span> American academic of communication studies

Jared A. Ball is an American academic and political activist. He is a professor of communication studies and Africana / Black Studies at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Ball is also host of the podcast “iMiXWHATiLiKE!”, co-founder of Black Power Media. In the 2008 presidential election, Ball sought the nomination of the Green Party of the United States before eventually dropping out and endorsing Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.

<i>A Lie of Reinvention</i>

A Lie of Reinvention: Correcting Manning Marable's Malcolm X is a collection of essays related to Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable. It is edited by Jared Ball and Todd Steven Burroughs.

<i>The Diary of Malcolm X</i>

The Diary of Malcolm X is a record of Malcolm X's thoughts during 1964, a year that included his pilgrimage to Mecca and two trips to Africa. The diary was scheduled for publication in 2013, but a legal dispute between the publisher and some of Malcolm X's daughters resulted in a delay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attallah Shabazz</span> American actress and author

Attallah Shabazz is an American actress, author, diplomat, and motivational speaker, and the eldest daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kekla Magoon</span> American author (born 1980)

Kekla Magoon is an American author, best known for her NAACP Image Award-nominated young adult novel The Rock and the River, How It Went Down, The Season of Styx Malone, and X. In 2021, she received the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her body of work. Her works also include middle grade novels, short stories, and historical, socio-political, and economy-related non-fiction.

<i>The Dead Are Arising</i> 2020 biography of Malcolm X by Les Payne and Tamara Payne

The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X is a biography of Malcolm X by Les Payne and Tamara Payne. The book was published in late 2020 by Liveright in hardcover format while an audiobook, narrated by actor Dion Graham, was simultaneously released by Recorded Books. Among other honors, the book won the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction and the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Biography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assassination of Malcolm X</span> 1965 murder in New York City, US

Malcolm X, an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a popular figure during the civil rights movement, was shot multiple times and died from his wounds in Manhattan, New York City on February 21, 1965 at age 39. While preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity at the Audubon Ballroom in the neighborhood of Washington Heights, Malcolm X was shot multiple times and killed. Three members of the Nation of Islam—Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Khalil Islam, and Thomas Hagan—were charged, tried, and convicted of the murder and given indeterminate life sentences, but in November 2021, Aziz and Islam were exonerated.

<i>X</i> (young adult novel) 2015 novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

X: A Novel is a young adult novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon, published January 6, 2015 by Candlewick Press.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  2. Michiko Kakutani (April 7, 2011). "Peeling Away Multiple Masks". New York Times Book Review . Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "The 2012 Pulitzer Prize Winners: History". Pulitzer.org. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  4. Manning Marable's 'Reinvention' Of Malcolm X, All Things Considered, National Public Radio (NPR). April 5, 2011. Retrieved on July 20, 2013.
  5. "2011 National Book Award Finalist, Nonfiction". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  6. "10 Best Books of 2011". The New York Times. November 30, 2011.
  7. Neal Wyatt (May 21, 2012). "Wyatt's World: The Carnegie Medals Short List". Library Journal . Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Malcolm X's daughters unhappy with new book." (Archive) Associated Press at KFSN-TV . Wednesday April 6, 2011. Retrieved on July 20, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Montgomery, David (April 14, 2011). "Negative review of Malcolm X bio is rejected". Washington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  10. Baker, p. 239
  11. "By Any Means Necessary: Malcolm X -- Real, Not Reinvented". C-SPAN. March 16, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2016. Herb Boyd delivers a response to the late Manning Marable's biography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, which was published in 2011 and nominated for the National Book Award in non-fiction. Mr. Boyd presents the collected thoughts of over thirty African-American scholars, who examine Mr. Marable's depiction of Malcolm X. Herb Boyd responded to questions from members of the audience at the Brecht Forum in New York City.
  12. "Manning Marable's Controversial New Biography Refuels Debate on Life and Legacy of Malcolm X". Democracy Now! . May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  13. People’s Minister of Information JR (October 21, 2012) Attempted ivory tower assassination of Malcolm X: an interview wit’ Jared Ball, editor of ‘A Lie of Re-Invention’; San Francisco Bayview: National Black Newspaper
  14. Dawson, Michael. "Marable's Malcolm X Book Puts Icon in Context". The Slate Group. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  15. Morrow, John Andrew (University of Virginia). "The second assassination of Malcolm X: a critical review of Manning Marable's biography." Journal of Pan African Studies . 5.1 (Mar. 2012): p. 217. Available at Academic OneFile InfoTrac, Gale Group. Document number GALE|A306514672. Also available [ dead link ]
  16. 1 2 Watkins, Boyce. "Malcolm X Book By Marable Disappoints Malcolm's Daughters..." The Tennessee Tribune ( ISSN   1067-5280) (the first paragraph stated "ThyBlackMan.com" at the top of the article). April 14, 2011. p. 5A. Available on ProQuest, Document ID 867781131.
  17. "Malcolm X (official publisher's book page)" . Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  18. Goldberg, Lesley (August 22, 2017). "Malcolm X Scripted TV Series in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  19. Petski, Denise (August 2, 2017). "'Malcolm X' Series Based On Manning Marable's Biography In Works By Critical Content". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved August 25, 2017.

Further reading