El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz interview with CBC in 1965.

[Speaker]: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz

The struggle for the so-called “black” people in America is one of an identity crisis, the lack of a lawful education, nationality, and full autonomy of self-governance as sovereignty due to their stateless status.

“Black”, “Brown”, “White”, etc. are misnomers that socially engineer division and enforce sociopolitical statuses. They are based on systems of benefit and privilege and do not provide any pedigree, nationality, or birthright.

The word ‘Black’ can be traced back to its proto-Indo-European origins through the word ‘black’ which meant pale, wan, colourless, or albino.

May the hungry be fed, the sick nourished, the naked clothed, the infant cared for, and the aged protected.

Right understanding of life and death, right emotions, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness, and right meditation, right food, right company.


In the mystic traditions of the different religions, we have a remarkable unity of spirit. Whatever religion they may profess, they are spiritual kinsmen. While the different religions in their historic forms bind us to limited groups and militate against the development of loyalty to the world community, the mystics have already stood for the fellowship of humanity in harmony with the spirit of the mystics of ages gone by.

Imagination, devotion, and perseverance, together with divine grace, will assure your success. Knowing that material & spiritual progress are essential to man, we must ceaselessly work for the equal attainment of both. It is only when a people strike an even balance between scientific progress & spiritual & moral advancement that it can be said to possess a wholly perfect and complete personality and not a lopsided one.” ~ His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie.