Eulogy
delivered by Ossie Davis at the funeral of Malcolm X
Faith Temple Church Of God
February 27,1965
"Here - at this final hour, in this quiet place -
Harlem has come to bid farewell to one of its brightest hopes -extinguished now,
and gone from us forever. For Harlem is where he worked and where he struggled
and fought - his home of homes, where his heart was, and where his people are -
and it is, therefore, most fitting that we meet once again - in Harlem - to
share these last moments with him. For Harlem has ever been gracious to those
who have loved her, have fought her, and have defended her honor even to the
death.
It is not in the memory of man that this beleaguered, unfortunate, but
nonetheless proud community has found a braver, more gallant young champion than
this Afro-American who lies before us - unconquered still. I say the word again,
as he would want me to : Afro-American - Afro-American Malcolm, who was a
master, was most meticulous in his use of words. Nobody knew better than he the
power words have over minds of men. Malcolm had stopped being a 'Negro' years
ago. It had become too small, too puny, too weak a word for him. Malcolm was
bigger than that. Malcolm had become an Afro-American and he wanted - so
desperately - that we, that all his people, would become Afro-Americans too.
There are those who will consider it their duty, as friends of the Negro people,
to tell us to revile him, to flee, even from the presence of his memory, to save
ourselves by writing him out of the history of our turbulent times. Many will
ask what Harlem finds to honor in this stormy, controversial and bold young
captain - and we will smile. Many will say turn away - away from this man, for
he is not a man but a demon, a monster, a subverter and an enemy of the black
man - and we will smile. They will say that he is of hate - a fanatic, a racist
- who can only bring evil to the cause for which you struggle! And we will
answer and say to them : Did you ever talk to Brother Malcolm? Did you ever
touch him, or have him smile at you? Did you ever really listen to him? Did he
ever do a mean thing? Was he ever himself associated with violence or any public
disturbance? For if you did you would know him. And if you knew him you would
know why we must honor him.
Malcolm was our manhood, our living, black manhood! This was his meaning to his
people. And, in honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves. Last year, from
Africa, he wrote these words to a friend: 'My journey', he says, 'is almost
ended, and I have a much broader scope than when I started out, which I believe
will add new life and dimension to our struggle for freedom and honor and
dignity in the States. I am writing these things so that you will know for a
fact the tremendous sympathy and support we have among the African States for
our Human Rights struggle. The main thing is that we keep a United Front wherein
our most valuable time and energy will not be wasted fighting each other.'
However we may have differed with him - or with each other about him and his
value as a man - let his going from us serve only to bring us together, now.
Consigning these mortal remains to earth, the common mother of all, secure in
the knowledge that what we place in the ground is no more now a man - but a seed
- which, after the winter of our discontent, will come forth again to meet us.
And we will know him then for what he was and is - a Prince - our own black
shining Prince! - who didn't hesitate to die, because he loved us so."
© 2001 ESTATE OF MALCOLM X