Malcolm X Day

Malcolm X Day is an American holiday in honor of Malcolm X that is celebrated on either May 19 (his birthday) or the third Friday of May. The commemoration of the civil rights leader has been proposed as an official state holiday in the U.S. state of Illinois in 2015 and Missouri as recent as 2019. As of present, only the city of Berkeley, California observes the holiday with city offices and schools closed.[1]

Malcolm X Day
Malcolm X
Observed byBerkeley, California, United States
TypeNationwide festivities
Local holiday (May 19)
DateMay 19
2020 dateMay 15  (2020-05-15)
2021 dateMay 21  (2021-05-21)
2022 dateMay 20  (2022-05-20)
2023 dateMay 19  (2023-05-19)
FrequencyAnnual

History

The Malcolm X Day holiday has been an official holiday in the municipality of Berkeley, California since 1979. Since then, there have been multiple proposals for the holiday to be official elsewhere. Most recently in 2015, a proposal put forth by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Chicago to make the holiday official in the U.S. state of Illinois.[2] The Illinois proposal differs from the Berkeley, California resolution in that the holiday would be observed May 19 instead of the third Friday in May.[3] Before that, unsuccessful attempts were made in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., with numerous calls for it to be celebrated alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Day[4] as a federal holiday.[5] In 1993, this holiday was proposed at the federal level to Congress as H.J.R. #323 by Congressman Charles Rangel.[6] In 2015, the Illinois Senate unanimously passed the resolution for the official holiday designation where the law "... officially designated 'May 19, 2015, and every May 19 thereafter' as Malcolm X Day.[7] Though the resolution passed making the holiday official, the Illinois official list of holidays still has yet to reflect the holiday.[8]

Observances by state
StateCurrent local observances
CaliforniaHoliday marked with an official event in San Jose and San Francisco.[9] In Berkeley, California, there is currently a legal status on this holiday.[1] This holiday has been in place since 1979.[10][11]
District of ColumbiaSchools such as the Malcolm X Elementary School in Washington, D.C., mark this holiday through UPEACE, US's DCPEACE program.[12] The first known celebration of Malcolm X Day took place in Washington, D.C., in 1971.[13] Was once proposed as a holiday.
FloridaHoliday marked with an official event in Jacksonville in the Historic Durkeville neighborhood. The events are marked with live performances and a parade.[14]
GeorgiaHoliday marked with festival since 1989 in Atlanta's West End Park.[15] Was once proposed as a holiday.
IllinoisAs of 2015, the holiday has a legal status in this state.[2]
MinnesotaMalcolm X Day is celebrated with the Malcolm X Conference in Minneapolis.[16]
MissouriA house bill HB 172 was introduced to the state legislature for the observation of Malcolm X Day.[17][18]
NebraskaMalcolm X Day was celebrated in Malcolm X's birth city of Omaha starting in 1968.[19] The holiday was celebrated from 1968 until at least 1997, with official proclamations from the City of Omaha for several years.
New YorkMalcolm X Day is celebrated in the Harlem section of New York City with a music event.[20]
OhioMalcolm X Day is celebrated with the "Malcolm X Heritage Festival" in Columbus, Ohio.[21]
OregonMalcolm X Day is marked with a peaceful demonstration in Salem, Oregon.[22]
PennsylvaniaMalcolm X Day became significant after the Ferguson riots. Events are marked with community activities in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and other places.[23][24][25]
TennesseeMalcolm X Day is celebrated in Nashville.[26]
TexasMalcolm X Day is celebrated in San Antonio.[27]
WashingtonMalcolm X Day is marked with a music festival at Umojafest.[28]
WisconsinMalcolm X Day is celebrated with a general public event with speakers in Milwaukee.[29]

Origins
Main article: Malcolm X

Malcolm X (/ˈmælkəm ˈɛks/) (born Malcolm Little; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), and also known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz[upper-alpha 1] (Arabic: الحاجّ مالك الشباز‎), was an American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans; detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history.

See also

Notes
  1. This name includes the honorific El-Hajj, given on completion of the Hajj to Mecca. Malise Ruthven (1997). Islam: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-19-285389-9.

References
  1. Malcolm X Day celebrated at namesake school, archived from the original on 2014-11-10, retrieved 2012-01-27
  2. Chambers, Bill (May 20, 2015). "Illinois Designates May 19 as Malcolm X Day".
  3. "Malcolm X Day on May 19 Proposed for State of Illinois".#
  4. "We Need a Malcolm X Day", Time, January 20, 2012
  5. Does Malcolm X Deserve a Federal Holiday?
  6. Rangel, Charles B. (February 10, 1994). "Text - H.J.Res.323 - 103rd Congress (1993-1994): Declaring May 19 a national holiday and day of prayer and remembrance honoring Malcolm X (Al Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz)". www.congress.gov.
  7. Chambers, Bill (May 19, 2015). "Illinois Designates May 19 as Malcolm X Day". The Chicago Monitor. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  8. "Illinois State Holidays". Archived from the original on 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  9. "San Jose: Claim Malcolm X Day San Jose".
  10. Malcolm X Day – more than a day off?
  11. City of Berkeley: 2012 Holiday and Reduced Service Days Schedule
  12. Malcolm X Day
  13. Gay, Kathlyn (2007). African-American Holidays, Festivals and Celebrations. Detroit: Omnigraphics. p. 284. ISBN 978-0-7808-0779-2.
  14. "The Malcolm X Festival and Parade".
  15. "Home". www.malcolmxfestival.com.
  16. "Preview: This weekend's MN Malcolm X Conference". MPR News.
  17. "Missouri HB172 | TrackBill". trackbill.com.
  18. "HOUSE BILL NO. 172 / 98th General Assembly" (PDF).
  19. "A History of Omaha's Malcolm X Day". February 14, 2019.
  20. "The Source |You Are Invited to Malcolm X's 90th Birthday Celebration in New York City". May 15, 2015.
  21. "MALCOLM X HERITAGE FESTIVAL".
  22. "SURJ on Malcolm X's Birthday at the Capitol in Salem, Oregon".
  23. "Today is Malcolm X Day". Delco News Network.
  24. "Eventful: Community Day at Malcolm X Park". Eventful.
  25. "Ferguson National Response Network". Ferguson National Response Network.
  26. "2nd Annual Malcolm X Day Celebration".
  27. "1st Annual From Malcolm to Me: A weekend celebration of the life and legacy of Malcolm X". May 15, 2015.
  28. "Malcolm X Day Conference and Music Fest at Umojafest P.E.A.C.E. Center".
  29. "Milwaukee: Malcolm X Day Celebration- Milwaukee!".
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