European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Pcs views the Complex life of Malcolm x by Walter Goodman the new York times since Malcolm xes death in i965, he has taken on a glow of glory. For most of his career he was a threatening figure to Many Whites and to Blacks who put their Hopes in integration and their Faith in Martin Luther King or. But the ferocious image which began to soften in Malcolm a last years has been burnished by the times. Spike Leeds 1992 movie Malcolm a was a nomination for sainthood. The recent tribute in the pcs television american experience series Malcolm x make it Plain is restrained by comparison but the tone is never less than respectful and frequently slips into reverence. Ossie Davis eulogies its hero As a your own shining Black racial politics is plainly at work Here. Malcolm a imposing position at least in popular history is connected to the new respectability of the themes of Black nationalism self Reliance and afr centrism that he preached during his years of Ascendance As a Black Muslim. But no less significant for his enduring Appeal Are his impressive personal qualities and the drama of his life. If you have an Eye to posterity write your autobiography or have it written for you. All treatments of Malcolm a career including this programs mostly Oral history have drawn on the facts and spirit of 77ie autobiography of Malcolm x Grove pres written with or by Alex Haley. That remarkable work first Laid out Malcolm a version of his pilgrimage a childhood in Omaha and Michigan his father the Rev. Earl Little was an organizer for the Black separatist movement of Marcus Garvey High times As a Hustler in Boston and new York years in prison where in the Early 1950s he was converted to the nation of islam and Success and Fame As a proselytize in behalf of the groups head Elijah Mohammad known to believers As a the the newspaper that Malcolm created for the movement was called Mohammad Speaks but the voice that stirred followers was Malcolm a. It was Only after his appearance in a 1959 lbs documentary the hate that hate produced that White America Learned to be nervous about the nation of islam. Malcolm far More fiery than his Leader opposed the 1963 civil rights March on Washington and dismissed King As an a ignorant negro 2vi hours carry the Story Forward to the ideological and personal rivalry that resulted in Malcolm a break with Elijah Mohammad. Their styles had always been in potential conflict and the tensions became Public after the chief disciple was reprimanded for his i felicitous response to the assassination of president Kennedy a the Devil is dead. Malcolm a discovery of his ministers taste for teen age girls seems to have ended what had been billed As a father son relationship. Soon Malcolm was exposing the movement he had lately personified. He said it was a Money making operation for insiders and took to mentioning Elijah Mohammad without the honorific. In his final months Malcolm is seen on a pilgrimage to Mecca and in conference with third world Heads of state. The narrator says portentous by that his murder evidently by three followers of Elijah Mohammad has never been fully explored. So Why did no to the producers said to have worked on this program for three years explore it Malcolm x addresses muslims in Chicago in �?T63. In the recollections of relatives including his widow a daughter and several Brothers and sister friends notably the historian John Hendrick Clarke and followers Malcolm is portrayed As Loyal Loving and indefatigable in his cause. If that cause changed it is seen As reflecting an inner search for his own salvation. The title make it Plain refers to the sort of introduction Malcolm preferred at rallies but it also describes his own platform style perfected on Harlem Street Corners. The clips of him entertaining and exciting audiences with smartly directed barbs at White society and exhortations to fight Back Are As effective sever. A. A a a a a. A whether he was an inspiring teacher or a talented rabble rouser can still bring arguments but you will not hear them in this documentary. Malcolm slate mellowing when he found a Good word for King and acknowledged the possibility that not All Whites Are devils is emphasized but nothing the an focus in Observance of Black history month a a an radio and television Are presenting pc Cial programs during february. An radio offers time Tomc a Ccle bration of Urban music through the dec ads a four hour special highlighting Nusic from the 1960s to the �?T90s with songs by Marvin Gaye a1 Green Stevie wonder and other artists As Well As a variety of historical information. Sgt. Johnny Carter hosts the show feb. 21 from 8 05 . To noon get on Afna Sam frequencies and from 2 05 . To 6 . Get on the am band. An to is showing the six part miniseries roots the Saga of an american family on tuesdays and thursdays at 8 55 . Get. On thursdays and fridays at 3 . Get an to is showing images amp realities. This weeks program is called african american men and next weeks is african american women. Other specials Are on an tvs Board Apollo theater Hall of Fame at 6 55 . Get saturday. Bill Cosby Danny Glover and Robert de Niro Host a Star studded Salute at the Apollo theater in Harlem. Entertainers featured Are Richard Pryor Ella Fitzgerald Billie Holiday Sam Cooke Ray Charles the Ink spots and . King. You must remember this at 1 . Get feb. 26. In this made for to movie Robert Guillaume portrays a Man haunted by his past As one of Hollywood a first Black directors during the late 1940s. He said in his last year a however comforting it May be to pcs viewers a matched for Force and eloquence his indictments of White America and his Calls for Black resurgence. Malcolm a the television program might have benefited from outside analysis of a career that can be interpreted As an uncompleted journey from the politics of a Louis Farrakhan to the politics of a Jesse Jackson. But it docs get across the Force of Malcolm a personality and his words. You done to have to go All soft Over the Man As the program tends to do toward the end to appreciate his courage integrity and influence As he strove to form a coherent message from the painful contradictions of his life and the lives of other Black americans. A a Malcolm x make it Plain was written by Stevo mayor and Orlando Bagwell. Judy Richardson co producer Bagwell director and producer Henry Hampton executive producer. A co production of Black Side inc. And Roja productions inc. Judy Crichton executive producer Margaret Drain senior producer of the american experience. The armed forces radio and television service says m has no plans yet to air the show. Vernon Johns continued from Page 4 the vehicle to pull it All Kareem productions began receiving tapes and ideas from Rubenstein a Laurel productions for re View and critique. Among them was a documentary piece by Connie Chung from cd so face to face about Johns. A i knew As soon As i saw it that we had to do it a said Abdul Jabbar. There was just one problem. The Johns children owned the rights to the Story and insisted that any project about their father would have to include Martin Fink the director of the seven minute docudrama for Chung. The problem with that according to Rubenstein is that Finks Only directorial experience was that Short piece. After a one hour session with Abdul Jabbar the producers decided to buy the rights to the Story and let Fink direct it. The writers for the Vernon Johns Story Are All Black the technical Crew was mixed and the chief consultant was Henry Louis Gates jr., chairman of african american studies at Harvard. Despite his influence on civil rights activism Johns was nearly forgotten a passed Over by events and time. A Brilliant scholar and spellbinding orator he challenged racial inequality when it was far from popular even within his own congregation to do so. Before King who was thrust into the midst of a movement in Progress and had the Benefit of Media awareness Johns chose to confront racism in the late �?T40s and Early �?T50s when there were few people anywhere in America let alone the deep South Black or White willing to take a Public stand. A i can relate to this Guy a i can feel him a Abdul Jabbar says. A i know what its like to be the Lone gaining Public acceptance of the Vernon Johns Story has become the equivalent of the playoffs for Abdul Jabbar. A i want America to see this a he said. A but this is especially for my children a for All Black children. We need new positive thu armed forces radio and television service says it has no plans yet to show the Vernon Johns Story. February 6, 1994 sunday Page 5
