Malcolm X (36 page)

Subject's answer and counterclaim was filed by the law firm of Sutton and Sutton, 135 West 125th Street, New York City.

On June 3, 1964, [BUREAU DELETION] advised that the trial on the above matter scheduled for that date had been postponed to June 15, 1964.

The April 18, 1964 edition of the
New York Amsterdam News
contained an article on page 1 relative to the above eviction proceedings
and identified the NOI attorney as JOSEPH WILLIAMS, and the attorney for subject as PERCY SUTTON.

SECTION 12

July 2, 1964–September 17, 1964

The major events of Malcolm's summer of 1964 were his June 28 founding of the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) and his July 7 trip to Africa, where he would remain until November, despite race riots in the United States and growing tension within his newly formed group. At a June 30 speech in Omaha, Malcolm related that the OAAU was dedicated to doing “whatever is necessary to bring the Negro struggle from the level of civil rights to the level of human rights.” He had altered his philosophy and accepted the possibility that “there were many whites who sincerely wanted to help the Negro cause.”

By no means had his change in philosophy reduced his militancy or his commitment to the right to defend oneself when attacked. His new ideology could in fact have made his militancy more effective, because now he could operate within the mainstream
of civil rights leaders. Only days after the formation of the OAAU, Malcolm offered to “send some of our brothers . . . on [Dr. Martin Luther] King's word” to Florida to defend Florida blacks from racist attacks.

Soon after the FBI received information that the NOI had released orders to kill him, Malcolm left on his third trip to Africa, his second in less than a year. The FBI kept close watch over him, and reported the audience's warm reception of a speech he delivered at a banquet in Alexandria. Another speech indicated Malcolm's continued interest in pursuing the human rights problem in the international arena.

Malcolm's apparent success abroad must have begun to worry the Justice Department, because J. Walter Yeagley, Assistant Attorney General in the Internal Security Division, indicated to Director Hoover that he had knowledge that Malcolm had urged foreign governments to “take the issue of racialism in America before the United Nations as a threat to world peace.” Yeagley requested that the FBI look into Malcolm's dealings and see if there were any “activities abroad indicating a possible violation of the Logan Act,” the act forbidding U.S. citizens to influence foreign governments without permission from the state. The FBI seemed to be interested in helping Mr. Yeagley as much as possible; The Logan Act is printed in a September 11 memo from the New York office to Hoover, and investigators were instructed to review Malcolm's foreign travels and report any violations.

Omaha, Nebraska
July 2, 1964

MALCOLM K. LITTLE,
also known as Malcolm X

An article appeared in the
Omaha World-Herald
, Omaha, Nebraska, a daily newspaper, on June 15, 1964, which revealed that Reverend Kelsey Jones, President of the Citizens Coordinating Committee for Civil Liberties, announced that Malcolm X would speak in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Assembly Hall in the City Auditorium at 8:00
P.M.
on June 30, 1964. Reverend Jones is quoted as stating, “If you can back Goldwater in Omaha, you ought to be able to listen to Malcolm X.”

An article appeared in the
Omaha World-Herald
newspaper on June 30, 1964, which stated that the man who had at one time been the fieriest spokesman for the Black Muslim movement stated his new group hopes to carry the American Negro's plight to the United Nations. The article related that Malcolm X, who
was returning to the city where he was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, said his new organization is called Afro-American Unity and dedicated to doing, “whatever is necessary to bring the Negro struggle from the level of civil rights to the level of human rights.”

The article continues by stating that Malcolm X's organization had telegraphed the Reverend Martin Luther King that it was ready to send help to St. Augustine if the Federal Government does not provide aid. He stated that the day of “turning the other cheek to those brute beasts is over and that we can send enough help to get results.”

The article relates that Malcolm X displayed considerable tolerance toward other Negro rights groups which as a Black Muslim he had berated. In regard to these rights groups he stated, “If they have failed it is because of the terrific opposition they face. If they have not reached their goals, if they have stumbled, it's because they have been tripped by the American people.” He warned that if negotiation does not bring more results the United States will face a “new situation in the struggle.”

The article quotes him as saying, “I used to believe in Elijah Muhammad (the Black Muslim leader). I believed in him as a person and I believed in his philosophy that the white man is the embodiment of evil.” He said he left the organization “because of internal problems” and not because of the punishment given him over the remarks he had made on President Kennedy's death. He said, “If Elijah Muhammad teaches the white race is evil how can he condemn me for remarks made when one of them dies?”

The article relates that he realized there were many whites who sincerely wanted to help the Negro cause. He stated, “But they don't need to join us. They should join each other to change the attitudes of the white community toward the black community.”

COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

JUNE 30, 1964
TELETYPE

CODED TELETYPE

FBI NEW YORK

220 PM URGENT 6-30-64 JAM

TO DIRECTOR /4/ 100-399321 JACKSONVILLE AND

NEW ORLEANS

FROM NEW YORK 105-8999 IP

MALCOLM K. LITTLE, AKA IS-MMI.

[BUREAU DELETION] ADVISED INSTANT DATE THAT SUBJECT LEADER OF MUSLIM MOSQUE INCORPORATED /MMI/ AS CHAIRMAN OF NEW ORGANIZATION OF AFRO-AMERICAN UNITY SENT TELEGRAM THIS MORNING TO MARTIN LUTHER KING CONCERNING ATTACKS ON NEGROES IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA BY PEOPLE OF WHITE RACE. SUBJECT ADVISED KING THAT IF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT SEND TROOPS TO KING-S ASSISTANCE THAN ON KING-S WORD “WE WILL IMMEDIATELY DISPATCH SOME OF OUR BROTHERS THERE TO ORGANIZE OUR PEOPLE INTO SELF DEFENSE UNITS AMONG OUR PEOPLE AND THE KU KLUX KLAN WILL RECEIVE A TASTE OF ITS OWN MEDICINE. THE DAY OF TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK TO THE HUMAN BRUTE BEASTS IS OVER.”

[BUREAU DELETION]

BUREAU AND INTERESTED OFFICES WILL BE ADVISED OF ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS MATTER.

LHM FOLLOWS

END

MSL

FBI WASH DC

Date: 7/7/64

On 7/5/64, subject was in contact with [BUREAU DELETION] told him that orders to kill him (MALCOLM) came from Chicago. [BUREAU DELETION] can furnish witnesses if MALCOLM wants to take them to court. [BUREAU DELETION] also told MALCOLM he should tell the FBI all about the threats against him

On 7/5/64, subject contacted [BUREAU DELETION] MALCOLM informed [BUREAU DELETION] had filed suits against ELIJAH for illegitimacy and non-support, and he urged her to talk one of the other mothers (not named) into filing suit against him. He also told her that ELIJAH has been putting money in Switzerland lately, and CLARA has been putting hers in Beirut and CAIRO. MALCOLM also told her “that that [BUREAU DELETION] has been giving ELIJAH money for several years.

The above is being furnished for information.

COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

JULY 21, 1964
TELETYPE

CODED TELETYPE

FBI NEW YORK

10-33 PM URGENT 7-21-64 DAE

TO DIRECTOR -19- 100-399321

FROM NEW YORK 105-8999

MALCOLM X LITTLE AKA, IS-MMI.

ARTICLE IN “NEW YORK JOURNAL AMERICAN” DATED JULY TWENTY ONE SIXTY FOUR, REFLECTS THAT MALCOLM X IS OR HAS RETURNED TO THE U. S. FROM HIS AFRICAN TOUR AND WILL BE FORMING RIFLE CLUBS. [BUREAU DELETION] ON JULY TWENTY SIXTY FOUR ADVISED MALCOLM X CONTACTED [BUREAU DELETION] FROM CAIRO, EGYPT, SAME DATE AND INFORMED HER THAT HE WILL NOT RETURN TO THE U. S. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST SIXTY FOUR, ALTHOUGH HE HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE RIOTS IN HARLEM, BUT WILL INSTEAD GO TO ARABIA AND OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND WILL CONTACT [BUREAU DELETION] AGAIN ON JULY TWENTY ONE SIXTY FOUR. [BUREAU DELETION] ADVISED JULY TWENTY ONE SIXTY FOUR THAT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT MALCOLM X HAS CHANGED HIS PLANS SINCE JULY TWENTY SIXTY FOUR AND IS DEFINITELY NOT IN NYC AT PRESENT TIME. [BUREAU DELETION]