Boston Public Radio Bookclub: 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X'

This February marks the 54th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. In commemoration of his death and in honor of Black History Month, Boston Public Radio chose "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as the latest BPR book club book.

Rev. Irene Monroe, a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail, and a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at Boston University School of Theology, along with Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam, whose latest book is “The Feud: Vladimir Nabakov, Edmund Wilson and the End of a Beautiful Friendship,” joined BPR Tuesday to talk about the book and Malcolm X's legacy.

"The Autobiography of Malcolm X" was written in collaboration between Malcolm X and journalist Alex Haley. It was released in October of 1965, about nine months after Malcolm X was assassinated. The nearly 500 page book covers the key moments of Malcolm X's life that led him to become one of the world's greatest civil rights leaders, including: the assassination of his father by the KKK; his formative years in Boston; his life-changing realizations in prison; and his relationship with the Nation of Islam. Monroe and Beam both praised the book and, unfortunately, the relevance it still holds today.

This was the 8th time Monroe had read the book. "It is one of the best... autobiographies of the last century," said Monroe.

"The legacy of this book becomes that talking book for really black male survival. The interesting thing is, the more things change, the more they remain the same. What are some of the troupes we see here: police brutality, mass incarceration, poor urban schools, the demonetization of black urban culture, wearing the Zoot suit to now black men wearing hoodies," she continued.

Beam said he was "really glad" he had read the book and called it a "beautifully crafted and written book."

Our conversation about "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" only touched the surface of the book and Malcolm X's life, so stayed tuned for more from the BPR book club about the book and Malcolm X's impact.