Professor Byron Brown, a professor of English, Persuasive Writing and Research at Howard University, presented at Eastern Washington University for Black History Month on February 6, 2025 at Tawanka Hall; three interactive sessions on the legacy and transformative impact of Malcolm X, one of America’s most significant cultural revolutionaries of the 20th Century took place.
Brown hails from South Carolina and has 7 master’s degrees; he is currently working on his Ph.D.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve one of my alma maters as the keynote speaker for this year’s Black history program. While I am no stranger to public speaking, this is my first time ever addressing a predominately white institution with a student body of more than ten thousand students,” Brown acknowledged.
Brown was the guest of EWU Africana Studies professor Dr. Scott Finnie who has lectured in Brown’s classes at Howard University.
“While growing up as a little boy in Eutawville with a bias perspective toward Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a less optimistic perspective of Malcolm X, I will use this opportunity to clarify some misconceptions that people often have about Malcolm X, and develop our understanding and appreciation of the lasting impact of Malcolm X.”
Brown compared the two leadership styles of both activists, informing the audience that their vision was the same yet their methods and philosophies were divergent.
King modeled his approach after Gandhi, centering on peaceful protests, civil disobedience, and the power of love to overcome hate and injustice. Malcolm X took a militant approach and believed in self-defense, self-empowerment and challenged racism by any means necessary.
“Dr. King was a political revolutionary and Malcolm X was a cultural revolutionary,” Finnie said.
Both leaders have taught us valuable lessons about how to stand up for what’s right. Their legacies continue to inspire people to work toward a world where everyone is treated fairly, no matter the color of their skin.
Both men’s backgrounds were key to how they tackled injustice. Malcolm X’s tough experiences led him to advocate for Black empowerment, often with a more direct tone. Meanwhile, King’s more stable upbringing and Christian faith pushed him towards a path of peaceful protests.
King’s methods led to important changes in legislation, which helped end legal segregation and protected voting rights. Malcolm X, on the other hand, spoke about self-defense, self-reliance, and a community that insulated its power from within, being unapologetically Black and not assimilating to the dominant culture, which inspired groups like the Black Panther Party to take a stronger stance.
Both were concerned about poverty, mass incarceration, poor housing, police brutality, etc. King believed in integration where races could coexist peacefully together and be judged on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Malcolm X advocated for separatism and believed that Blacks should build their own institutions and communities.
Their work has had a lasting effect on how we talk about race and how people today approach fighting for change. Modern activists might organize peaceful marches similar to King’s approach or focus on community empowerment, reflecting Malcolm X’s influence.
Students and staff had dialogue with Professor Brown on the impact of Malcolm X’s leadership, his assassination and his view of the current state of the United States.